AFN reviews athlete welfare amid uncertainty over Ofili’s reported switch
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) says it's some distance reassessing its methodology to athlete welfare amid reviews that sprinter Favour Ofili might perhaps perhaps contain opted to picture Turkey.
Though the federation has yet to receive formal affirmation from both the athlete or World Athletics, AFN President Tonobok Okowa acknowledged rising tell over the subject and acknowledged the anguish is prompting broader discussions about toughen systems for Nigerian athletes.
“What we’ve learn to this level remains hypothesis, nonetheless if it appears to be like to be to be accurate, then Nigeria need to step up by means of the welfare of athletes,” Okowa acknowledged in an interview with Making of Champs. “If Nigeria can make investments more in athletes, this might perhaps occasionally perhaps perhaps shuffle a lengthy diagram.”
Ofili, 22, lately diagram a world simplest within the 150m at the Adidas Atlanta City Games.
Primarily essentially based on reviews, her choice to keep in thoughts a nationality swap stems from dissatisfaction with how she used to be treated throughout past global competitions, in particular the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Jamaican journalist Kayon Raynor reported that Ofili expressed her frustrations to the Athletics Integrity Unit, citing administrative lapses keen both the AFN and the Nigeria Olympic Committee.
“She’s an grownup, and she’s working closely with her coach,” Okowa acknowledged. “Affords delight in these are laborious to ignore. We’ve viewed this before. Countries are offering money and citizenship, and it’s not accurate Nigeria being focused. Jamaicans, Kenyans and others are furthermore in talks to commerce allegiance. So we must always realize this within the wider context.”
Turkey has reportedly intensified its recruitment of foreign athletes, offering huge incentives — as a lot as $500,000 in some cases — to athletes willing to swap nationalities. The enchancment has drawn comparisons to past cases keen Nigerian athletes who later competed for other international locations, including Francis Obikwelu (Portugal), Gloria Alozie (Spain), and Femi Ogunode (Qatar).
Okowa disclosed that he had made just a few efforts to re-build contact with Ofili nonetheless had been unsuccessful.
“I’ve been seeking to be triumphant in her. We had a solid relationship, even with her family. Nonetheless all correct now, she blocked all people. That used to be after I knew one thing used to be scandalous,” he acknowledged.
Despite the circulating reviews, World Athletics continues to checklist Ofili as a Nigerian athlete, and the Turkish Athletics Federation has not issued any statement on a nationality transfer.
The uncertainty comes before the 2025 World Athletics Championships scheduled to happen in Tokyo in September. Ofili is amongst Nigeria’s marvelous athletes for the worldwide tournament, nonetheless her possible absence might perhaps perhaps contain an affect on the nation’s representation and efficiency.
