Nigerian sprinter, Favour Ofili, has submitted a request to switch international allegiance to Turkey.

Ofili has decided to dump her country of birth following years of alleged neglect and administrative failures by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, and the Nigerian Olympic Committee, NOC.

One of such incidents happened during the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France.

The 22-year-old was excluded from the 100m event despite having met the qualifying standard.

The failure of the AFN and NOC to submit her name for the event was a repeat of a similar administrative blunder that cost her a spot at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Ofili has now formally notified the Athletics Integrity Unit, AIU, of her decision and its reasons.

It would be recalled that former Nigerian Hammer thrower, Annette Nneka Echikunwoke following a similar administrative oversight, which prevented her from competing for Team Nigeria at Tokyo Olympics, switched allegiance to her birth country, the USA.

Annette Nneka Echikunwoke of the United States celebrates after the women s hammer throw final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Olympische Spiele, Olympia, OS in Paris, France, Aug. 6, 2024. ) (PARIS2024) || Image credit: Imago

Ofili expressed her frustration to the AIU—a move triggered by years of neglect. She started the process on May 31st and the same AFN leadership was re-elected this June.

She is one of the highly-rated athletes in Nigeria and boasts impressive personal bests of 10.93s in the 100m and 21.96s in the 200m.

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria AFN Negligence 

Prior to the official announcement today, The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) had earlier said it has capable athletes to fill the vacuum should U.S.-based sprinter, Favour Ofili, decide to switch allegiance from Nigeria to another country.

The relationship between Ofili and the AFN became strained at the just-concluded Paris 2024 Olympics following the disappearance of her name from the list that the federation submitted for the women’s 100m event.

While the AFN maintained its innocence, saying it listed Ofili for the 100m, 200m and the 4x100m relay at the Games, the athlete says that the federation should be held responsible.

An AFN official told The Guardian on 14 Aug 2024, that the federation would not stop Ofili from actualising her alleged plan, saying: “If truly Ofili is considering switching her allegiance from Nigeria to another country, it might be difficult for the AFN to prevent her. But Ofili must know some of the technicalities involved in such move because World Athletics’ rules state that for an athlete to be eligible to compete for another country, he/she must stay away from any athletics competition for a period of three years. It means Ofili will not compete in any athletics event between now and late 2027.

“Ofili is fast becoming an uncontrollable athlete for the AFN. There are certain things we have been trying to keep away from the public concerning Ofili. At the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, United States in 2022, Ofili refused to stay with other Nigerian athletes in our camp that had bigger athletes like Tobi Amusan, Ese Brume and others. She moved into a hotel with her coach. We tolerated her.

“Ofili did not come to Nigeria for the AFN National Trials, where athletes were picked for the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. We tolerated her. Even at the championships in Budapest, Ofili refused to train with other Nigerian athletes to perfect their baton exchange. She insisted on taking instruction only from her American coach. Our 4x100m relay team eventually lost the ticket to the final due to poor baton exchange between Ofili and Rosemary Chukwuma. We tolerated her.

“In our National Trials ahead of the African Games in Ghana, Ofili refused to show up and she did not bother to come for the Games in Accra. We tolerated her. The biggest disappointment Ofili gave to Nigeria was her refusal to compete in the semifinal of the 100m at the 23rd African Senior Championships in Douala, Cameroon, in July this year.

Our immediate reaction was to stop her and Rosemary Chukwuma, who also stayed away from her 100m semifinal event, from making the team to the Paris Olympics. But the Sports Minister, John Owan Enoh, invited them to his hotel, in Douala, for discussion even without our knowledge. It became difficult for the AFN to wield the big stick against them.

“Nobody in the AFN is saying that Ofili should change her nationality to another country, but if she is desperate to go, no one can stop her. What I want Nigerians to know is that Ofili’s ‘unruly’ behaviour is fast spreading to some other athletes, and if care is not taken, the AFN might lose control of the athletes, and that will be catastrophic for Nigeria. As I said, we have other capable athletes, who can fill the space if Ofili decides to go. It is better we have a team with disciplined athletes, than to parade a squad laced with undisciplined athletes,” the official said.