After years of dissatisfaction with Nigeria’s athletics authorities, Nigerian sprinter, Favour Ofili has formally left Nigeria to play for Turkey.
According to ThisDay, Ofili made the decision when she was once again denied the opportunity to run in the 100m event at the Paris 2024 Olympics, despite qualifying. Ofili has excellent personal bests of 10.93s in the 100m and 21.96s in the 200m.
Ofili was one of 13 Nigerian competitors who were disqualified from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics due to noncompliance with normal anti-doping regulations by the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC) and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN)
Citing long-standing carelessness and poor management by the AFN, she allegedly started her nationality switch on May 31, 2025, and formally informed the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of her choice.
The recurring administrative shortcomings of the AFN, which was re-elected in June 2025 for a further four years despite mounting criticism, are said to have been the direct cause of Ofili’s decision rather than its financial motivation.
Ofili, who had finished sixth in the 200-meter final at the Olympics in Paris, stated unequivocally that she is just looking for a nation that will value and not waste her potential.
The recurring administrative shortcomings of the AFN, which was re-elected in June 2025 for a further four years despite mounting criticism, are said to have been the direct cause of Ofili’s decision rather than its financial motivation.
Ofili, who had finished sixth in the 200-meter final at the Olympics in Paris, stated unequivocally that she is just looking for a nation that will value and not waste her potential.
