Promising sprinter Favour Ofili has officially switched international allegiance to Turkey, effective May 31, 2025. The 22-year-old’s decision followed years of alleged neglect and administrative failures by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC).

According to sources close to the athlete, Ms Ofili’s decision was not driven by financial incentives but by years of frustration over persistent administrative shortcomings by the AFN and the NOC. A major turning point was her highly publicised exclusion from the 100m event at the Paris 2024 Olympics despite having met the qualifying standard. 

Reports noted that the AFN and NOC failed to properly enter her name for the event, a devastating repeat of a similar administrative blunder that cost her a spot at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held in 2021) where inadequate anti-doping protocols affected 13 other Nigerian athletes.

Ms Ofili, who boasts impressive personal bests of 10.93s in the 100m and 21.96s in the 200m, formally notified the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of her decision and its reasons. Her frustration was further solidified by the re-election of the same AFN leadership in June 2025, despite the repeated administrative lapses.

The former Louisiana State University (LSU) standout and Adidas-sponsored athlete expressed her disappointment publicly on social media following the Paris Olympics omission, questioning the accountability of national federations. While she later finished sixth in the 200m final in Paris, the overall experience appeared to be a tipping point.

Her switch to Turkey places her among a growing list of Nigerian athletes who have chosen to represent other countries due to perceived lack of support and chronic mismanagement at home. Past examples include Gloria Alozie (who later ran for Spain), Francis Obikwelu (Portugal), and Femi Ogunode (Qatar), who now enjoy considerable successes from their adopted nations.

This latest development serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges facing Nigerian athletics and raises questions about the need for systemic reforms within the sporting federations. While World Athletics currently still lists Ofili as a Nigerian athlete, her official notification to the AIU marks a significant step in her new trajectory. 

She is now expected to observe a mandatory waiting period before competing for Turkey in international competitions, though an exemption may be possible if her case for administrative negligence is strongly argued.

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria has yet to issue an official response on Ms Ofili’s decision. Her departure undoubtedly leaves a void in Nigeria’s sprint contingent, while simultaneously boosting Turkey’s ambitions on the global athletics stage.