President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Tonobok Okowa, says the federation won’t stop women’s 150m world record holder, Favour Ofili, from switching her nationality to Turkey.
Okowa expressed surprise at the 22-year-old’s apparent allegiance transfer, as the federation awaits a reply from World Athletics.
Ofili is alleged to have shifted allegiance to the European country just three months before the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The 22-year-old’s transfer was initially revealed by Jamaica-based journalist Kayon Raynor, who stated that Ofili had informed the Athletics Integrity Unit of her dissatisfaction with the Nigerian Athletics Federation.
In reacting to the development, Okowa, who admitted that the AFN had let the athlete down on different occasions, said he was surprised, as the athlete has also been paid a training grant this year.
“If this is true, it is sad, disheartening and painful, but we are yet to get any official statement from her or any correspondence from World Athletics on her request. She is a promising athlete with huge potential,” Okowa said in a statement.
“From the moves we have been making to get her fully prepared and back to the big athletics family and her response, it’s also clear that she had been preparing and working on her newfound Turkish love. She is old enough to decide what’s best for her, but it is painful and hard to take for us; however, we will not stop her. She is still our child, sister and daughter.
“We want to apologise to Nigerians, the National Sports Commission and the millions of people around the world who hold the sport and country in high esteem for this sad development.”
Meanwhile, the World Athletics Federation still identifies Ofili as a Nigerian athlete on its profile.
The 22-year-old is one among several Nigerian athletes who have qualified for the World Championships, which will take place in Tokyo from September 13 to 21.
This year, the Turkish athletics association has been looking for athletes, especially Jamaicans, and is reportedly offering up to $500,000 to foreign athletes who transfer allegiance to the European country.
Following administrative lapses, Nigeria has a long list of athletes who left the country for other countries and went on to excel in their careers, including Francis Obikwelu (Portugal), Gloria Alozie (Spain), Florence Ekpo-Umoh (Germany), Salwa Eid Naser (Bahrain), and Femi Ogunode (Qatar), among others.
