Nigeria’s Dream Team VI for the first time ever downed the new set of kits designed by American multinational company, Nike.
The new era began on a winning note for Nigeria who edged Japan 5-4 in the male football event of the 2016 Rio Olympics in Manaus, Brazil.
While fans were carried away by the attacking prowess of Samson Siasia lads, many even forgot to sight the absence of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) logo on the new jerseys.
The new set of kits were without that of the Nigerian federation but unlike others this wasn’t another blunder on the part of the Glass House.
Instead, the organisers dictate that no emblem apart from the National Olympic Committee’s as well as the kit manufacturer’s emblem can appear on athletes’ clothing.
“In the Olympic Games, the teams play with the National Olympic Committee logos. This is according to the rules of the IOC,” Nike Vice President Africa, Tina Salminen, told Goal.
The controversy could have arisen due to the press release by the NFF earlier this week where the new Nigeria jersey was unveiled with the federation’s logo conspicuously placed on the left breast of the shirt.
The rules of the Olympics forbid teams from putting federation logos on their shirts in order to have a clean look.
“One national flag or NOC emblem, with a maximum size of 25cm2, must be positioned at chest level on the front of the shirt. It shall not limit the legibility of the number positioned on the front of the shirt,” the IOC wrote in its Rio 2016 guidelines on use of emblems.
“On each shirt sleeve, between the shoulder point and the elbow point, the teams may display the national fag or NOC emblem once to a maximum size of 25cm2. The national flag or NOC emblem may also be displayed in the collar zone to a maximum size of 15cm2.
“The national fag or NOC emblem may be displayed on the front of the shorts on one leg to a maximum size of 25cm2.”
The IOC is also strict about the submission of team shirts to FIFA for inspection ahead of the Olympic Games so that no country flouts its laws.
