World Athletics blocks Nigerian Athlete Favour Ofili from switching allegiance to Türkiye

World Athletics has rejected Favour Ofili’s request to switch her international allegiance from Nigeria to Türkiye, citing concerns over the integrity of national team competitions and the growing trend of structured athlete recruitment by countries.

According to the ruling, approving the transfer would undermine key Council objectives, particularly the need to protect the credibility of national representation and discourage the systematic acquisition of foreign-born athletes for Olympic and World Championship participation.

Ofili, a Nigerian sprinter who specializes in the 100m and 200m events and is regarded as one of Africa’s top young track talents, was part of a wider review involving 11 applications submitted by the Türkiye Athletics Federation. World Athletics said the cases appeared linked to a coordinated recruitment effort supported by Turkish authorities aimed at strengthening its athletics team ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Although she has reportedly obtained Turkish citizenship and signed a professional club contract, she will not be eligible to represent Türkiye in major international competitions such as the World Championships or the Olympic Games.

However, she is still allowed to compete in international one-day meets and other events in a personal or club capacity.