Following criticism that many Team NT athletes received clothing in inappropriately large sizes, Sport North says it’ll do its best to get 2020 Arctic Winter Games jackets swapped for sizes that fit.
The announcement comes despite there now being no Games to attend. The 50th anniversary of the Arctic Winter Games, due to be held in Whitehorse starting on Sunday, was cancelled over concerns about coronavirus.
A day before news of that cancellation came, parents, coaches, and athletes had complained that many walkout uniforms being handed out by Team NT were two to three sizes too big, leaving athletes looking “ridiculous.”
“We would like to extend an offer to those athletes that did not get the sizes they wanted or could wear,” Sport North – the group that organizes Team NT for major events – posted to Facebook on Thursday.
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“With all of the outfits dispersed we are allowing participants to exchange their jackets for sizes that fit them. If those sizes are not available, we are putting out a special order to the manufacturer for the missing sizes.”
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Sport North listed some conditions athletes must meet for their jacket to be swapped (only jackets are part of the deal, there’s no exchange program for other items). Jackets must be clean with no alterations, rips, or tears, and the jacket must be returned by March 20 unless you want to keep the size you initially received.
Some athletes and parents in smaller communities expressed concern on Facebook that they had not even received the jackets yet, much less had the opportunity to try them on.
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Sport North said jackets could also be returned to regional coordinators by March 20 to qualify for the trade. Otherwise, return jackets to Whitney Weaver at Sport North’s office in Yellowknife.
New sizes ordered from Karbon, the manufacturer, will not arrive until the end of October, Sport North estimated.
“There may be slight variations in colour or fabric from the original outfit, but it will be of equal quality and design,” the notice posted to Facebook read.
