The president of Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF), Dr Ademola Are has called for the introduction of a ‘uniform kit’ for all teams representing the country internationally.
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Sports247 reports that, in an apparent reference to recent complaints about Nike’s choice of lemon colour instead of dark green for the Super Eagles’ new jersey, Dr. Are suggested a common kit for the country’s representatives.
He reflected on his years as a member of Nigeria’s hockey team and recalled that one of the highlights they enjoyed back then was seeing national athletes from different sports wearing the same kit.
Are recounted, “We had a standard uniform; and once you see someone wear it, you knew that person must be a national athlete. That’s something I think we should go back to.
“Our teams should have the same canvas shoes, t-shirts, track suits and training kit, irrespective of the sport – whether wrestling, hockey, athletics or football.
“Nowadays, federation presidents could just decide to do any track suit for a competition. That should not be allowed. We used to have a store for all national track suits.
“It should not be that a team from Nigeria will wear yellow and purple, another will wear red and black. NFF’s team will wear black and green, yet they are representing Nigeria.”
The former North-West coordinator in the Federal Ministry of Sports acknowledged that many federations now have different sponsors and kitting contracts with various brands, but stressed that they should all reflect the country’s national colours.
“Even if a particular company is sponsoring your kit, you should tell them the right colours to use in designing your materials. You don’t sell yourself cheap, since you are paying them.
“It’s what you tell them that they will do. They will abide by it because it is a brand you have bought into and what you are presenting to the country,” Are posited.
Check Sports247 special interview segment, UNSCRIPTED, for the full interview with Dr Ademola Are, who is also the first vice-president of Union of West African Rugby Federations (UWARF).
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