BBC News Middle East
26 July 2012 Last updated at 10:33 GMT
London 2012: Egypt Olympic team get 'fake' Nike kit
Members of Egypt's Olympic team have been given fake Nike gear, a synchronised
swimmer has alleged.
Yomna Khallaf said her workout bags had a big Nike logo in the front but the
zippers had an Adidas branding on them.
The Egyptian Olympic Committee (EOC) secretary general, Motaz Sonbol, said they
were shocked to find that the gear was not "directly from Nike".
Nike said it was "concerned" athletes may have received products that do not
meet the company's quality standards.
A Nike spokesman said the company was recently made aware that the EOC chose a
sports gear vendor who allegedly supplied counterfeit footwear and apparel
bearing the Nike trademarks.
The company said it was now in discussions with the EOC to see if a solution
could be reached.
But the committee's chairman, Gen Mahmoud Ahmed Ali, defended the decision to
go for the "counterfeit" gear because of his country's tight finances, AP
reports.
"We signed with a Chinese distributor in light of Egypt's economic situation,"
he said.
Ms Khallaf tweeted that she had to spend more than $300 (£195) of her own money
to buy satisfactory gear.
BBC Arab Affairs Editor Shaimaa Khalil says the incident has caused a major
controversy on social media, with some users describing it as a disgrace.
Egypt is being represented by 112 Olympians at London 2012.
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