By Kamsi Anayo, Awka
Favour Ofili, Nigerian sprinter and 150m world record holder, has reportedly switched her athletic allegiance to Turkey, just three months before the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The 22-year-old athlete’s decision was first reported by Jamaica-based journalist Kayon Raynor, who cited sources from TVJ News centre.
According to the report, Ofili officially made the switch on May 31, 2025, and has informed the Athletics Integrity Unit of her frustrations with the Nigerian Athletics Federation.
Ofili’s decision stems from a series of administrative failures by Nigerian athletics authorities that have significantly impacted her career.
The AFN failed to confirm her number of doping control tests for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, causing her to miss the games entirely.
Later, despite qualifying for the Paris Olympics, she was not registered for the 100m event due to administrative oversight, though she did compete in the 200m where she finished sixth in the final.
The athlete reportedly emphasized to the Athletics Integrity Unit that her decision was not financially motivated.
The talented sprinter made history in May 2025 at the Adidas Atlanta City Games by setting a new world record in the 150m with a time of 15.85 seconds, breaking the previous record of 16.23 seconds held by Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo.
She had already qualified for the upcoming World Championships scheduled for September 13-21 in Tokyo, where the World Athletics website still lists her as a Nigerian athlete.
Turkey’s athletics federation has been actively recruiting international talent this year, reportedly offering up to $500,000 to foreign athletes to switch allegiance.
This follows a troubling pattern of Nigerian athletes switching nationalities due to administrative issues, including Francis Obikwelu who switched to Portugal, Gloria Alozie to Spain, and Salwa Eid Naser to Bahrain, among several others who have gone on to excel in their careers internationally after leaving Nigeria.
Both Ofili and the AFN have not yet responded to requests for comment on the reported switch.
