Nigerian sprint star Favour Ofili has initiated a formal process to switch her international allegiance to Turkey, citing persistent administrative negligence by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC) as her primary reason.
Ofili, 22, made headlines after being excluded from the 100m event at the upcoming 2024 Olympics in Paris, despite meeting the qualification standard.
The AFN and NOC failed to submit her entry in time, an error eerily reminiscent of a similar oversight that denied her participation at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Sources close to the athlete reveal that repeated administrative failings and lack of support have forced Ofili to seek a more structured and supportive environment for her athletic development.
She has now formally notified the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of her intention to compete for Turkey, providing detailed justifications for her decision.
The development marks a significant loss for Nigeria, as Ofili is regarded as one of the nation’s most promising track talents.
Her potential switch follows a growing trend of Nigerian athletes seeking representation under other national flags due to systemic inefficiencies at home.
