By Munet Amedu
Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili has reportedly begun the process of transferring her international allegiance to Turkey, citing frustrations with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Nigeria Olympic Committee.
According to multiple sources, Ofili notified the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of her decision on May 31, 2025.
Ofili’s decision is reportedly due to a consistent pattern of negligence by the AFN, including missing the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and not being registered for the 100m event at the Paris Games.
She emphasized that her decision is not financially motivated.
AFN President Tonobok Okowa expressed shock and disappointment at the news, stating that Ofili had been paid her training grant for the year and that efforts to reach her had been unsuccessful.
Okowa acknowledged that Ofili is old enough to make her own decisions but found it painful and hard to accept.
Despite the news, Ofili is still listed as a Nigerian athlete by World Athletics, and there is a minimum three-year window for the switch to be completed.
The Turkish Athletics Federation has been actively courting top athletes from around the world to switch allegiance.
This is not the first time athletes have switched allegiance to Turkey. Jamaican athletes Rajindra Campbell and Roje Stona have also made the switch, highlighting Turkey’s efforts to strengthen its athletics team.
