Fresh from setting a world record in the 150m just weeks ago, Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili has dramatically switched her international allegiance to Turkey, citing chronic frustrations with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria‘s handling of her career.
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The 22-year-old athlete, who clocked a stunning 15.85 seconds at the Adidas Atlanta City Games in May to shatter the previous 150m world record of 16.23 seconds, officially changed her nationality status on May 31, 2025, according to Television Jamaica (TVJ) sources.
Ofili’s decision is a significant blow to Nigerian athletics, particularly given her recent record-breaking performance, which had positioned her as one of the country’s brightest sprinting prospects. Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo held the previous 150m record.
The sprinter’s frustrations with the Athletics Federation stem from administrative failures that have cost her crucial competitive opportunities. She reported to the Athletics Integrity Unit that federation officials failed to confirm her doping control test numbers, resulting in her missing the Tokyo 2020 Olympics entirely.
The pattern of administrative neglect continued at the Paris Olympics, where Ofili was excluded from the 100m competition after federation officials failed to enter her for the event. She was ultimately able to compete only in the 200m, where she finished sixth in the final.
Ofili said the Athletic Federation caused her to miss the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after they did not confirm her number of doping control tests and then missed competing in the 100m at the Paris Olympics after they did not enter her for the event.
Jamaica-based journalist Kayon Raynor first broke the news of Ofili’s nationality switch via the social media platform X, revealing the May 31 effective date of the change.
Ofili emphasised to the Athletics Integrity Unit that her decision to represent Turkey was not financially motivated, positioning the move as a response to systemic administrative failures rather than economic incentives.
The sprinter brings impressive credentials to her new national team, with personal best times of 10.93 seconds in the 100m and 21.96 seconds in the 200m. Her recent world record performance further demonstrates her potential to compete at the highest international level.
Despite the official nationality change, World Athletics continues to list Ofili as a Nigerian athlete in its current databases. She remains among the qualified athletes for the upcoming World Championships scheduled for September 13-21 in Tokyo, though her representation status for the competition remains unclear.
The situation highlights ongoing challenges within Nigerian athletics administration, where administrative oversights have repeatedly affected athlete participation in major international competitions. Ofili’s case represents one of the most high-profile examples of these systemic issues impacting elite athlete careers.
Turkey’s athletics programme stands to benefit significantly from Ofili’s addition, particularly given her world record achievement and proven ability to compete at the highest levels of international sprinting.
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