Nigerian track star Favour Ofili has formally applied to switch her sporting nationality to Turkey, according to documents filed with the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).
The application, dated 31 May 2025, cites “years of neglect and ill-treatment” by Nigerian sports authorities, including the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), as the main reason for her decision.
According to Kayon Raynor of Reuters, Ofili expressed her frustration over repeated administrative failures that have affected her athletic career, including Nigeria’s failure to conduct mandatory drug testing ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which led to her and 13 other athletes being disqualified from competition.
Ofili also noted her exclusion from the women’s 100m event at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics, despite meeting qualification standards. She attributed this to the failure of the AFN and the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) to submit her name for the event.
In a petition to the AIU, the 24-year-old clarified that her move was not driven by financial incentives, but rather born out of deep disappointment and a desire to feel supported in her professional journey.
If her application is approved by World Athletics, Ofili will have to observe a three-year waiting period before she can represent Turkey in international competitions, as stipulated by current transfer of allegiance rules.
At the time of reporting, there has been no official response from the AFN, the Turkish Athletics Federation, or World Athletics. Ofili’s athlete profile still lists her nationality as Nigerian.
Favour Ofili is one of Nigeria’s most prominent young sprinters, with personal bests of 10.93 seconds in the 100m and 21.96 seconds in the 200m. She holds multiple national records and has represented Nigeria at international levels, including the World Championships and Commonwealth Games.