Ernest Osogbue.
In a bold and unprecedented eligibility ruling, World Athletics, has rejected the application of former Nigerian sprinter, Favor Ofili, and that of ten other athletes to switch their international allegiance to Turkey. This followed a careful review of their applications, which were found to be unworthy.
According to World Athletics, Ofili’s application and that of the other athletes, was part of a coordinated recruitment strategy by Turkish athletics authorities, to attract overseas athletes through lucrative contracts. This according to World Athletics, would compromise the imperatives underlying the eligibility rules, and transfer of allegiance regulations.
World Athletics, therefore, believes that Turkey, which failed to win any gold medals at the Paris Olympics, was recruiting foreign athletes, by inducing them financially, which is contrary to World Athletics principles on eligibility.
Before her eligibility application, Ofili was embroiled in a running battle with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, for many years, which led to an acrimonious parting of ways. She was prevented from participating at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, due to the negligence of AFN officials. The same scenario was to repeat itself 4 years later in Paris, when her name mysteriously disappeared from the 100m start list at the 2024 Olympic Games. These incidents led Ofili to believe that she was being unduly targeted, and not being fully supported by Nigerian Athletics officials. It therefore, remains to be seen what becomes of her international athletics career.
The other ten athletes involved in the botched Turkish allegiance switch include, five Kenyans, four Jamaicans, and a Russian. The Kenyans are; former marathon world record holder, Brigid Kosgei. The others include; Catherine Relin Amanag’ole, Brian Kibor, Ronald Kwemoi, Nelvin Jepkemboi. The Jamaicans are; Roje Stona, who won gold in the men’s discuss for Jamaica at the 2024 Olympics Games in Paris. Others are; Rejindra Campbell, Jaydon Hibbert, and Wayne Pinnock. Sophia Yakushina, was the sole Russian athlete among the bunch.
According to World Athletics, the entire manner of the eligibility application process by Turkish authorities, and the similarities in the applications, raised suspicions that this was not a regular eligibility application, and that something more was at stake, hence the applications were rejected.
Before the botched Turkish switch, Ofili was a bright and rising star in the Nigerian athletics fold. She held several records in the 200m, and 100m, and still holds the 150m world record, of 15.85s, which she achieved in May 2025. It remains to be seen whether she would be welcomed back into the Nigerian athletics fold, or whether she would seek another country to represent.
