In Ofili’s case, if she and the Turkish federation can convincingly argue that her move was prompted by federation failures beyond her control, she could be eligible for a waiver.
Nigerian sprint star Favour Ofili has reportedly switched international allegiance to Turkey, from 31 May, after expressing frustration with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).
According to veteran reporter Kenny Raynor, sources close to the matter told TvjNewscentre (a Jamaican News outlet) that the 22-year-old athlete informed the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) that her decision was not financially motivated, but stemmed from her long-standing dissatisfaction with how Nigerian athletics officials had handled her career.
Ofili, who holds personal bests of 10.93 seconds in the 100m and 21.96 seconds in the 200m, reportedly detailed to the AIU how she missed the Tokyo 2020 Olympics due to Nigeria’s failure to meet mandatory anti-doping requirements for selected athletes. That same incident affected nine other Nigerian athletes who were disqualified from competition, resulting in global embarrassment for the country.
More recently, she was also excluded from the 100m event at the Paris 2024 Olympics due to what she described as another administrative oversight by the AFN. Although she ran in the 200m and placed sixth in the final, her omission from the 100m lineup further deepened her disillusionment with the federation.
Though Nigerian sports authorities set up an investigative committee to get to the root of what happened in Paris, PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the recommendation that Ofili should be compensated with $5,000 and a letter of apology were not done.
Aside from the redeployment of Rita Mordi (the then AFN scribe), who was indicted in the committee report, the Technical Director, Samuel Onikeku, who was also indicted, has since returned to the AFN board, though he is no longer the Technical Director.
The AFN is yet to comment on the latest reports about Ofili’s allegiance.
As of Sunday, 22 June, Ofili is still officially listed under Nigeria on the World Athletics website.
The rules governing international allegiance switches suggest that she may need to observe a mandatory waiting period before representing Turkey in international competitions, although she appears to also qualify for an exemption.
What the rule says
Under Rule 4.4.2 of the World Athletics Eligibility Rules, an athlete who has previously competed for a country in a National Representative Competition or any Other Relevant Competition, such as the Olympic Games, is required to observe a three-year waiting period from the date their application is submitted to World Athletics.
During this period, the athlete is barred from competing for any other nation at such competitions. Since Ofili competed for Nigeria at the Paris 2024 Olympics, this means she will not be eligible to represent Turkey at the World Championships in Tokyo in 2025 or the following edition in Beijing unless an exemption is granted.
However, under Rule 4.6, the World Athletics Nationality Review Panel has the discretion to waive or adjust the three-year requirement in “exceptional circumstances.”
These could include situations where an athlete’s federation was suspended, or where personal circumstances such as administrative negligence or systemic mismanagement significantly harmed an athlete’s opportunities.
The panel may also consider if the athlete can demonstrate a “genuine, close, credible and established link” to the new country.
Further clarification is offered in Rule 4.7, which outlines factors that may influence World Athletics’ decision to approve a shortened waiting period.
These include whether the athlete’s motivation for the switch is unrelated to sporting advantage, whether the previous federation supports the transfer, and if the athlete is joining a country within a freedom of movement area.
In Ofili’s case, if she and the Turkish federation can convincingly argue that her move was prompted by federation failures beyond her control, she could be eligible for a waiver. However, such approvals remain rare and require substantial documentation.
Turkey grabbing athletes
Ofili’s reported switch comes as Turkey continues to attract world-class talent from across the globe.
Recent reports by Reuters indicate that Jamaican shot put bronze medallist Rajindra Campbell has also changed allegiance to Turkey. Campbell, who finished third at the Paris 2024 Olympics behind Americans Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs, reportedly received a $500,000 signing bonus along with monthly support as part of the move.
His compatriot and discus gold medallist Roje Stona, who broke the Olympic record to secure Jamaica’s first-ever medal in the event, is also believed to have followed suit. While Campbell’s agent confirmed his switch, Reuters has contacted Stona’s representatives and the Jamaica Olympic Association for confirmation.
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Both athletes join a growing list of Jamaicans who have competed for Turkey, following the path of sprinters Jak Ali Harvey and Emre Zafer Barnes, who switched allegiance in 2015.
With such high-profile names leaving their native countries, the debate over athlete welfare, federation governance, and international eligibility rules is once again in sharp focus.
Not the first
For Nigeria, the reported loss of Ofili – one of its most promising young sprinters – raises urgent questions about the state of its athletics system and whether reforms are being pursued fast enough to stop the ongoing talent exodus.
If eventually her nationality switch is confirmed, Ofili won’t be the first Nigerian athlete to go that way.
Gloria Alozie dumped Nigeria for Spain, Francis Obikwelu switched allegiance to Portugal, while Femi Ogunode pitched his tent with Qatar after complaints of poor handling by AFN.
Many other Nigerian athletes are now running for other countries in the Middle East, including Kemi Adekoya and Salwa Eid Naser (Ebelechukwu Agbapuonwu) who are now representing Bahrain.
