Nigerian sprinter, Ofili, switches allegiance to Turkey
Nigerian sprinter and 150m world file holder, Favour Ofili, has reportedly switched her sporting allegiance to Turkey, aesthetic months forward of the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Jamaica-essentially essentially based completely journalist Kayon Raynor disclosed the pattern on his X story on Saturday, citing sources from TVJ News Centre.
In preserving with Raynor, the switch took procedure on Can even unbiased 31, 2025, and modified into once formally communicated to the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) following what he described as persistent frustrations with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).
“Ofili has suggested the Athletics Integrity Unit of her frustration with the Nigerian Athletics Federation,” Raynor posted. He added that the sprinter had “embraced Turkish citizenship” after being again and again sidelined by Nigerian sports authorities.
Ofili, 22, reportedly referenced her exclusion from the 100m event on the 2024 Paris Olympics and her absence from the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics in consequence of administrative lapses as key reasons for the option.
“She mentioned that the Nigerian Athletics Federation precipitated her to miss the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after they did now not verify her series of doping preserve watch over checks,” Raynor noted. “She then left out competing within the 100m on the Paris Olympics after they did now not enter her for the event. She modified into once sixth within the 200m closing.”
Sources shut to the athlete indicated that her choice to change nationality modified into once essentially essentially based completely on skilled frustrations in situation of monetary incentives, no topic ongoing reviews that Turkey has equipped colossal advantages—including as much as $500,000—to appeal to global athletes.
Turkey has beforehand recruited athletes from international locations corresponding to Jamaica and Nigeria as portion of efforts to lift its global athletics profile. Nigeria, in turn, has witnessed a string of high-profile defections within the past, including Francis Obikwelu (Portugal), Gloria Alozie (Spain), and Femi Ogunode (Qatar), all of whom done global success representing their adopted international locations.
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria has yet to recount an wonderful response to the pattern.
Nigerian sprinter and 150m world file holder, Favour Ofili, has reportedly switched her sporting allegiance to Turkey, aesthetic months forward of the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Jamaica-essentially essentially based completely journalist Kayon Raynor disclosed the pattern on his X story on Saturday, citing sources from TVJ News Centre.
In preserving with Raynor, the switch took procedure on Can even unbiased 31, 2025, and modified into once formally communicated to the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) following what he described as persistent frustrations with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).
“Ofili has suggested the Athletics Integrity Unit of her frustration with the Nigerian Athletics Federation,” Raynor posted. He added that the sprinter had “embraced Turkish citizenship” after being again and again sidelined by Nigerian sports authorities.
Ofili, 22, reportedly referenced her exclusion from the 100m event on the 2024 Paris Olympics and her absence from the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics in consequence of administrative lapses as key reasons for the option.
“She mentioned that the Nigerian Athletics Federation precipitated her to miss the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after they did now not verify her series of doping preserve watch over checks,” Raynor noted. “She then left out competing within the 100m on the Paris Olympics after they did now not enter her for the event. She modified into once sixth within the 200m closing.”
Sources shut to the athlete indicated that her choice to change nationality modified into once essentially essentially based completely on skilled frustrations in situation of monetary incentives, no topic ongoing reviews that Turkey has equipped colossal advantages—including as much as $500,000—to appeal to global athletes.
Turkey has beforehand recruited athletes from international locations corresponding to Jamaica and Nigeria as portion of efforts to lift its global athletics profile. Nigeria, in turn, has witnessed a string of high-profile defections within the past, including Francis Obikwelu (Portugal), Gloria Alozie (Spain), and Femi Ogunode (Qatar), all of whom done global success representing their adopted international locations.
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria has yet to recount an wonderful response to the pattern.
