The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has expressed deep shock following widespread reports that elite Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili is seeking to switch her athletic allegiance to Turkey, just months ahead of the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
AFN President Chief Tonobok Okowa responded to the reports with visible disappointment, stating that the Federation only learnt of the move through media reports. “Like millions of Nigerians, we were blindsided by this news,” Okowa said. “We have received no official communication from her or from World Athletics regarding this switch.”
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The 22-year-old sprinter, who holds Nigeria’s 200m national record at 21.96 seconds, has reportedly reached out to the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) citing past frustrations with Nigerian sports authorities. According to Jamaica-based journalist Kayon Raynor, who broke the news on social media, Ofili blamed the Nigerian Athletics Federation and the Nigeria Olympic Committee for her omission from key events including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 100m sprint at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
In an emotional statement, Okowa expressed sadness over Ofili’s decision but emphasized that the Federation bears no grudge. “She is still our daughter. We are heartbroken, yes, but she is old enough to make her own choices. We won’t stop her,” he said. “The Tokyo 2020 situation happened under a previous administration, and we have since restructured and improved our anti-doping compliance and administrative processes.”
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Despite the internal issues, Okowa revealed that the AFN had paid Ofili’s 2025 training grant and had been making active efforts to reintegrate her into the athletics family following her Olympic Games omission. However, all outreach attempts were reportedly ignored.
Ofili has been criticized in some circles for skipping key national trials and withdrawing from events like the 100m at the 2024 African Championships in Cameroon. Still, many acknowledge her immense contribution to Nigerian athletics, including a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
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Although World Athletics still lists her as a Nigerian athlete, the nationality switch—if approved—requires a three-year wait period, as Ofili last competed for Nigeria in the Olympics. This means her eligibility to represent Turkey would come after this period, barring any exceptional clearance.
Interestingly, Ofili is not the only athlete reportedly eyeing a move to Turkey. Jamaican athletes Rajindra Campbell and Roje Stona have also recently switched allegiance, as Turkey continues an aggressive drive to attract global athletic talent.
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For now, Nigeria watches as one of its brightest stars possibly prepares to shine in another nation’s colours.
Picture Credit: Making of Champions Facebook Page
