Dylan Bettencourt
The Nigerian team received their kit for the Commonwealth Games at the final hour after sportswear manufacturer MG Sportswear came to Nigeria’s rescue.
They produced hundreds of items for the team after the original supplier failed to meet the demands.
MG Sportswear Manager Gino Ruffinatio said he and his 14 staff members worked around the clock to get the kit ready in time.
He said when he was called on Tuesday, three days before the Games began, to produce the kit for the team he thought it was a prank.
“Then I started getting emails with orders so I thought, hang on, I think this is serious,” he said.
“They hit us with the deadline saying it needs to be there by Friday and today was Tuesday. There was all the fabric, the print, the designs to get out in two days. It was a bit hair-raising.”
The team worked long hours to get the kit ready, making 200 pieces of kit that included running vests and shorts, staff tracksuits and 400 Nigerian badges for the gear.
“The entire shop factory was at panic stations trying to complete the order,” said Ruffinatio.
“Everybody’s embraced it. They worked hard and did many hours to make sure it happened.”
Nigeria sent 93 athletes to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England in the hope of improving on the nine gold medals the nation won at the previous edition.
Ruffinatio said it was a dream come true seeing his brand being worn by the Nigerian team for the whole world to see.
“I still pinch myself. I’ll be watching on the telly and seeing the MG Sportswear brand for a national team,” he said.
Image source: @TheCitizen
