Favour Ofili Dumps Nigeria For Turkey Over AFN Frustrations

Favour Ofili has reportedly switched allegiance to Turkey after years of frustration with the Nigerian athletics federation.

Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili has reportedly changed her national allegiance to Turkey, following long-standing frustration with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).

The switch, said to have taken effect from May 31, was not driven by financial reasons, but rather by her dissatisfaction with how her career has been managed by Nigerian athletics officials.

Sources close to the matter revealed that Ofili explained to the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) that she had lost confidence in the Nigerian federation. One of her major grievances was being unable to compete in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics due to Nigeria’s failure to meet anti-doping compliance requirements. That incident led to the disqualification of ten Nigerian athletes, including Ofili, and caused global embarrassment.

More recently, at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Ofili said she was excluded from the 100m event due to what she called another administrative error. Although she competed in the 200m and finished sixth, the incident reportedly deepened her disappointment with the AFN.

An investigative committee was formed to look into what happened in Paris, and although it was recommended that she be paid $5,000 and receive a formal apology, none of that has reportedly happened. One official involved, Rita Mordi, was reassigned, but another, Samuel Onikeku, has returned to the AFN board despite being named in the report.

The AFN has not issued a statement about the reports concerning Ofili’s change of allegiance. As of June 22, she was still listed under Nigeria on the World Athletics website.

World Athletics rules state that any athlete who has represented one country in a major competition, like the Olympics, must wait three years before competing for another country. Since Ofili ran for Nigeria in Paris 2024, she would not be eligible to represent Turkey at major events until at least 2027, unless she qualifies for a special exemption.

According to Rule 4.6, exemptions can be made in cases of exceptional circumstances, such as administrative failure or if the athlete can show strong personal ties to the new country. If Ofili and the Turkish athletics body can prove her decision was caused by failures outside her control, she may qualify for a waiver. However, these waivers are rarely granted and require strong supporting evidence.

Ofili’s case is part of a broader trend, as Turkey continues to attract top international athletes. Reports indicate that Jamaican shot putter Rajindra Campbell, who won bronze at the Paris Olympics, has also joined Turkey, reportedly receiving a large signing bonus and monthly financial support. Another Jamaican, Olympic discus champion Roje Stona, is also believed to be making a similar move.

Several athletes from Jamaica have switched to Turkey in recent years, following examples like Jak Ali Harvey and Emre Zafer Barnes, who made the change in 2015. These developments have renewed debate about how athletes are treated, and how national federations are managed.

Ofili is not the first Nigerian athlete to switch countries. Others, such as Gloria Alozie (to Spain), Francis Obikwelu (to Portugal), and Femi Ogunode (to Qatar), made similar moves after complaints of poor treatment by the Nigerian athletics system. Additionally, Kemi Adekoya and Salwa Eid Naser (formerly Ebelechukwu Agbapuonwu) now compete for Bahrain.

Her potential departure adds to growing concerns about how Nigeria is handling its sporting talent and whether enough is being done to stop more athletes from leaving.
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