German sportswear manufacturing giants PUMA has terminated its four-year contract with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria.
The AFN under the leadership of Ibrahim Gusau had signed a controversial $2.76m deal with Puma on July 24, 2019. The deal was due to expire in 2022.
Part of the contract is that PUMA will supply apparel to all age categories to Nigeria’s Athletics team for four years at no cost.
PUMA confirmed this in a letter dated Wednesday, August 4, 2021, and signed by the company’s director Manuel Edlheimb.
According to PUMA, the termination of the deal was a result of Nigeria’s athletes’ inability to wear the brand at the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
PUMA, in the letter of termination, said,
“We are referring to the licensing and sponsoring agreement signed between our company and your federation.
“As a direct consequence of the recent developments, particularly at the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 and pursuant to clauses 9.2 and 7.3 of the Agreement, we hereby terminate the Agreement with immediate effect.
However, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports led by Sunday Dare, rejected offers for the Team Nigeria athletes to wear the kits in Tokyo, insisting the contract is “a subject of a criminal investigation”.
