The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) initially had no formal record of the switch. AFN President Tonobok Okowa confirmed that the federation had neither received communication from Ofili nor from World Athletics regarding a nationality change. However, by August 7, 2025, AFN publicly acknowledged that Ofili had indeed completed the switch. Okowa voiced concern over the trend, highlighting that elite Nigerian athletes are being increasingly drawn away due to financial incentives and systemic frustrations.
Favour Ofili has made clear that her decision was not financially motivated. She reportedly informed the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) about her deep dissatisfaction with the AFN—stemming from serious administrative failings, including the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where she and 13 other athletes were barred from competing due to the AFN's failure to complete required pre-Games drug testing for athletes based in the U.S. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, despite qualifying for the women’s 100m, she was omitted from the event due to administrative oversight, though she still competed in the 200m and finished sixth.
These ongoing issues compelled her decision, emphasizing that the switch was driven by frustration rather than financial incentives. During a 2025 National Athletics Championship press briefing in Lagos, President Okowa confirmed that “Favour Ofili has been taken by the Turkish Federation,” underscoring the federation’s plea for urgent financial and infrastructural support for Nigerian athletes.
Under World Athletics eligibility rules, athletes switching nationalities typically face a three-year waiting period before they can represent their new country in international competitions, which would make Ofili eligible for Türkiye no earlier than 2028—just in time for the Los Angeles Olympics.
This move reveals broader systemic issues within Nigerian athletics: many of the country’s most talented athletes—such as Francis Obikwelu, Gloria Alozie, and Femi Ogunode—have previously changed allegiances amid frustration with local sporting governance. Understandably, fans and stakeholders feel a deep sense of loss and betrayal. AFN officials lament the repeated breakdowns in athlete support systems, admitting that while it pains them deeply, they cannot—and should not—stand in the way of an athlete’s decision
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