President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Tonobok Okowa, says the Federation won’t stop women’s 150 metres world record holder, Favour Ofili, from switching her nationality to Turkey
Okowa said he was shocked by the reported allegiance switch of the 22-year-old, as the federation awaits correspondence from the World Athletics.
Ofili was reportedly to have switched her allegiance to a European country three months before the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The 22-year-old’s switch was first announced by Jamaica-based journalist Kayon Raynor, who reported that Favour Ofili has informed the Athletics Integrity Unit of her frustration with the Nigerian Athletics Federation.
In the wake of the development, Okowa, who had admitted that the AFN had let the athlete down on different occasions, said he was surprised, as the athlete had also received 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 has 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 still lists Ofili as a Nigerian athlete on its profile.
MUST READ:Athletics: Ofili Battles Thomas Neita In Grand Slam Track League, Florida
The 22-year-old is one of the Nigerian athletes who have qualified for the World Championships, which will be held from September 13 to 21 in Tokyo.
The Turkish athletics body has been shopping for top athletes this year, including Jamaicans, and reportedly pays as much as $500,000 to foreign athletes to encourage them to switch their allegiance to the European country.
Following administrative lapses, Nigeria has a rich list of athletes like Francis Obikwelu (Portugal) Gloria Alozie (Spain), Florence Ekpo-Umoh (Germany), Salwa Eid Naser (Bahrain), Femi Ogunode (Qatar), amongst several others, who dumped the country for other nations and went on to excel in their careers internationally.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
