World record holder and reigning 100m hurdles champion, Tobi Amusan, has publicly criticised the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) for failing to provide standard competition kits for Nigerian athletes ahead of the World Athletics Championship in Tokyo, Japan.
In a video posted on Snapchat, Amusan, widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s brightest medal hopefuls, expressed disappointment at what she described as “consistent neglect and embarrassment” from sports authorities.
Switching between English and Pidgin, she lamented:
“As it is now, I have to wear an Adidas black tight. I go show you wetin Jamaica… When I tell you say Jamaica dey the same WhatsApp group with Nigeria, but dem no worse like Nigeria. In Nigeria, all the other countries give their athletes two kits. See wetin Nigeria pack give us. This country (Nigeria) is really embarrassing.”
Athletes Raise Broader Concerns
Amusan’s remarks add to a growing list of complaints from Nigerian athletes about poor preparation and welfare.
Earlier this year, Super Falcons defender Ashleigh Plumptre revealed that the women’s national football team lacked access to basic recovery facilities such as a gym or swimming pool during the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
In an interview with Lagos Talks 91.3 FM, Plumptre said:
“For me and some of the other girls, we were tired towards the end because we were put in a hotel in Morocco that didn’t have a gym. Towards the end of the tournament, we were taken to a public gym to be able to use.”
She added that players were left uncertain whether the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) or Moroccan organisers were responsible for the poor arrangements.
A Pattern of Neglect?
The AFN has faced repeated criticism for failing to adequately prepare athletes for international tournaments, with issues ranging from unpaid allowances to substandard equipment. Amusan’s latest outburst has once again drawn attention to the broader structural challenges within Nigerian sports administration.
As the countdown to the World Athletics Championship begins, fans and analysts fear that continued lapses in athlete support could undermine Nigeria’s medal prospects on the global stage.
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