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Posted by African Examiner
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Thursday, April 16th, 2026
(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – World Athletics (WA) has rejected an application by Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili to switch her national allegiance to Turkey.
The decision was confirmed in a statement released by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) on Thursday.
According to WA, its national review panel declined the request as part of broader concerns about the Turkish Athletics Federation’s efforts to recruit foreign athletes for nationality changes.
The body said such actions appear aimed at encouraging athletes to switch countries for “mercenary reasons,” warning that the practice could undermine the integrity of international competitions.
WA added that the recruitment strategy may discourage nations from developing local talent and could lead to the replacement of homegrown athletes with imported competitors.
Favour Ofili, 23, began the process of switching allegiance in 2025 following disputes with Nigerian authorities, including claims of neglect and administrative failures.
She previously missed the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after officials failed to notify her of required drug-testing protocols. She was also unable to compete in the 100m event at the Paris 2024 Olympics due to an administrative error that led to her omission from the entry list.
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