Written by Emmanuel Okogba
Favour Ashe, the seventh-fastest man in history over 100 meters, has formally switched his international allegiance to Qatar, claiming inadequate facilities, inadequate care, and a lack of opportunity in Nigeria as the main causes of the movement.
In a statement made public on Monday, the 100-meter specialist, whose personal best time of 9.94 seconds places him among Nigeria’s top sprinters, confirmed the move. Ashe disclosed that he had spent the last five months practicing in Qatar and was hopeful about helping the country’s 4×100-meter relay team succeed.
Ashe claimed, “I did not receive proper treatment at the 2025 National Sports Festival.” “Those in charge of sports in Nigeria lacked empathy. It was a setback to return to Nigeria for my job. Poor track conditions made it difficult for me to train, and after finishing my education in the US, I was unable to use collegiate training facilities.
Adding that there was a startlingly high number of young Nigerian athletes already training in the Gulf state, he said, “I am very sure we will form a formidable 4x100m relay team for Qatar.”
World Athletics has not yet given its approval to the transfer. Ashe will not be able to participate for Qatar until after 2027 unless an exemption is made, as he is required by existing standards to observe a three-year waiting period after his last representation of Nigeria.
Ashe’s choice is in line with a trend of Nigerian track and field athletes looking for better possibilities overseas due to persistent problems in the home system, including as poor facilities, erratic funding, and administrative problems.
He is one of many Nigerian athletes who have chosen to play for another nation. The recent decision by another sprinter, Favour Ofili, to represent Turkiye is one example of this.
Unaware of the switch—AFN
Tonobok Okowa, president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, stated that the organization is not aware of sprinter Favour Ashe’s purported nationality change from Nigeria to Qatar and that the AFN will start looking into athletes’ statuses on Monday (today).
Punch was informed by Okowa that he was also just seeing the news.
I’m not sure either. I too just saw the news, but we’ll look into that starting Monday,” he said.
