Favour Ofili Dumps Nigeria for Turkey After Years of AFN Incompetence

Prominent Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili has officially switched her international allegiance to Turkey, effective May 31, 2025. The move by the 22-year-old comes after years of alleged administrative neglect by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC).

Sources close to the athlete say her decision was driven not by financial gain, but by frustration over repeated failures by Nigerian sports authorities. A key factor was her omission from the 100m event at the Paris 2024 Olympics despite meeting the qualifying standard. Reports indicate the AFN and NOC failed to properly register her, echoing a similar blunder that cost her a spot at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where she and 13 other Nigerian athletes were disqualified due to compliance failures with anti-doping protocols.

Ofili, whose personal bests include 10.93 seconds in the 100m and 21.96 seconds in the 200m, formally informed the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of her decision and cited the lack of accountability and professionalism within Nigerian athletics governance. Her disillusionment was deepened by the re-election of the same AFN leadership in June 2025, despite a history of administrative mishaps.

The former LSU athlete and Adidas-sponsored sprinter had previously voiced her frustration on social media following her exclusion from the Paris Games. While she went on to finish sixth in the 200m final, the experience appeared to mark a breaking point in her relationship with Nigerian athletics.

Ofili joins a growing list of Nigerian athletes who have opted to represent other countries due to poor support structures at home. Notable precedents include Gloria Alozie (Spain), Francis Obikwelu (Portugal), and Femi Ogunode (Qatar), all of whom went on to achieve significant international success.

While World Athletics still lists Ofili as representing Nigeria, her notification to the AIU marks a crucial step toward competing for Turkey. A mandatory waiting period may apply before she can represent her new country in global competitions, although a waiver could be granted if her case for administrative negligence is upheld.

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria has not yet issued a statement regarding Ofili’s departure. Her exit marks a major loss for Nigeria’s sprint team and could significantly strengthen Turkey’s presence on the international athletics stage.