Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili, the 150m world record holder, has officially switched her sporting allegiance to Turkey ahead of the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The move was confirmed by Jamaica-based journalist Kayon Raynor, citing sources from TVJ News Centre.
Raynor reported that the 22-year-old athlete, frustrated by repeated issues with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), formally notified the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of her decision on May 31, 2025.
“Ofili has advised the Athletics Integrity Unit of her frustration with the Nigerian Athletics Federation,” Raynor stated. “She embraced Turkish citizenship after being sidelined by Nigerian authorities.”
Ofili cited her exclusion from the 100m at the 2024 Paris Olympics and missing Tokyo 2020 due to administrative errors as key reasons. “She missed Tokyo 2020 after the AFN failed to confirm her doping tests,” Raynor added.
Turkey has actively recruited international athletes, reportedly offering financial incentives. The AFN has yet to comment on Ofili’s departure, the latest in a series of high-profile Nigerian defections.