Nigerian Sprinter Favour Ofili Switches Allegiance to Turkey Over Federation Neglect

Favour Ofili, one of Nigeria’s top sprinters, has officially transferred her allegiance to Turkey following years of frustration with Nigerian athletics authorities.

TJ News Nigeria learnt that the decision came after repeated administrative failures by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC), which cost her participation in multiple Olympic events.

Federation Failures Behind the Switch

The turning point for Ofili was the failure of Nigerian officials to enter her name for the Paris 2024 Olympics, despite her meeting the 100m qualifying standard. This marks the second time she has missed the Olympics due to federation errors.

• Tokyo 2020 (held in 2021): Ofili missed the 200m event after AFN and Nigeria’s anti-doping body failed to conduct mandatory tests on time, affecting her and 13 other Nigerian athletes.
• Paris 2024: Despite qualifying for the 100m, her name was omitted due to administrative negligence by the AFN and NOC.

Renowned sports journalist Kehinde Raynor (@kayraynor) reported that Ofili lodged a formal complaint to the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), expressing frustration over years of mismanagement by Nigerian sports bodies.

Process of Transfer and Federation Response

TJ News Nigeria gathered that Ofili began her nationality transfer process on May 31, 2025, after exhausting other diplomatic options with Nigerian athletics authorities. The situation escalated further when the same AFN leadership responsible for these failures was re-elected in June 2025, deepening athletes’ disillusionment with the current administration.

As of now, neither the AFN nor the Nigerian Olympic Committee has issued an official statement regarding Ofili’s decision or the ongoing concerns raised by several athletes over administrative lapses.

Ofili is expected to compete for Turkey in upcoming international competitions, including the World Athletics events and the Paris 2024 Olympics taking place from Friday July 26 to Sunday August 11, pending final clearance by World Athletics.

A Growing Trend Among Nigerian Athletes

Ofili’s transfer follows a growing pattern of Nigerian athletes switching allegiances due to neglect, lack of support, and persistent administrative failures within Nigerian sports federations.

Sports analysts have noted that unless urgent reforms are implemented, Nigeria risks losing more elite athletes to other countries offering better structures and opportunities for growth.