.jpeg)
.jpeg)
Nigerian sprint star and 150m world record holder, Favour Ofili, has reportedly switched her international allegiance to Turkey, just three months before the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, according to multiple reports.
The development was first reported by Jamaica-based journalist Kayon Raynor, who stated that the 22-year-old athlete made the switch on May 31, 2025, citing frustrations with the Nigerian Athletics Federation (AFN) and the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC).
“Favour Ofili has switched allegiance to Turkey as of May 31,” Raynor posted via X. “She informed the Athletics Integrity Unit that her decision was due to administrative failures by Nigerian authorities which cost her Olympic appearances.”
Ofili reportedly expressed dissatisfaction over missing the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after the AFN failed to confirm her doping control tests and being left out of the 100m event at the 2024 Paris Olympics despite qualifying. She finished sixth in the 200m final.
According to Raynor, Ofili clarified to the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) that her decision was not financially motivated.
Efforts to obtain comments from Ofili and the AFN have so far been unsuccessful, as both parties are yet to respond as of the time of this report. Meanwhile, her World Athletics profile still lists her as a Nigerian athlete.
Ofili recently made headlines in May after setting a new world record in the 150m at the Adidas Atlanta City Games, clocking 15.85 seconds to surpass the previous mark of 16.23s held by Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo.
Her reported switch comes amid increasing interest from Turkey’s athletics federation, which has been actively recruiting international talent, including athletes from Jamaica. Reports suggest that the country offers up to $500,000 to athletes willing to switch allegiance.
Nigeria has a history of losing top-tier athletes to other countries due to administrative lapses. Notable examples include Francis Obikwelu (Portugal), Gloria Alozie (Spain), Florence Ekpo-Umoh (Germany), Salwa Eid Naser (Bahrain), and Femi Ogunode (Qatar), all of whom went on to achieve international success after switching nationalities.
Ofili is one of the Nigerian athletes who have already qualified for the 2025 World Championships, scheduled to hold in Tokyo from September 13 to 21.