Nigerian sprint star Favour Ofili has reportedly switched her international allegiance to Turkey, citing frustration with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) as the reason behind her decision.
According to sources close to the matter, Ofili informed the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) that her decision was not financially motivated but stemmed from long-standing dissatisfaction with how Nigerian athletics officials handled her career.
Ofili’s discontent with the AFN began when she missed the Tokyo 2020 Olympics due to Nigeria’s failure to meet mandatory anti-doping requirements for selected athletes.
READ MORE: Mikel Obi drops another bomb, says NFF have been owing him for nine years now
This incident affected nine other Nigerian athletes, resulting in global embarrassment for the country. More recently, she was excluded from the 100m event at the Paris 2024 Olympics due to another administrative oversight by the AFN.
Although she ran in the 200m and placed sixth in the final, her omission from the 100m lineup further deepened her disillusionment with the federation
The AFN is yet to comment on the latest reports about Ofili’s allegiance switch. However, in a previous statement, an AFN official noted that the federation would not prevent Ofili from carrying out her purported plan, saying, “If truly Ofili is considering switching her allegiance from Nigeria to another country, it might be difficult for the AFN to prevent her.”
CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE ATHLETIC NG WHATSAPP GROUP CHAT NOW!
The AFN also claimed to have qualified athletes on hand to take Ofili’s place should she decide to leave Nigeria
Favour ofili
According to World Athletics Eligibility Rules, an athlete who has previously competed for a country in a National Representative Competition or any Other Relevant Competition is required to observe a three-year waiting period from the date their application is submitted to World Athletics.
Since Ofili competed for Nigeria at the Paris 2024 Olympics, this means she will not be eligible to represent Turkey at the World Championships in Tokyo in 2025 or the following edition in Beijing unless an exemption is granted.
However, under Rule 4.6, the World Athletics Nationality Review Panel has the discretion to waive or adjust the three-year requirement in “exceptional circumstances.
” These could include situations where an athlete’s federation was suspended, or where personal circumstances such as administrative negligence or systemic mismanagement significantly harmed an athlete’s opportunities.
If Ofili and the Turkish federation can convincingly argue that her move was prompted by federation failures beyond her control, she could be eligible for a waiver
Ofili’s reported switch comes as Turkey continues to attract world-class talent from across the globe. The loss of Ofili, one of Nigeria’s most promising young sprinters, raises urgent questions about the state of the country’s athletics system and whether reforms are being pursued fast enough to stop the ongoing talent exodus.
Notably, Ofili won’t be the first Nigerian athlete to switch allegiance, as others like Gloria Alozie, Francis Obikwelu, and Femi Ogunode have done so in the past
