After World Athletics denied Favour Ofili’s request to switch allegiance to Turkey, the president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Tonobok Okowa, has left the door open for her to resume representing the nation.
According to Naija News, in May 2025, Favour Ofili, a sprinter who expressed unhappiness with the way local officials handled her career, wanted to change her country, shocking Nigerian athletics.
Nearly a year later, the Turkey Athletics Federation’s request was denied by the World Athletics Nationality Review Panel.
The ruling came after 11 applications connected to a government-sponsored recruitment campaign prior to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles were reviewed.
World Athletics warned that such actions could compromise the integrity of national competitions, discourage the development of homegrown talent, and run the risk of replacing local athletes with foreign competitors. The organization claimed that the transfer push was a part of a larger strategy to attract foreign athletes with lucrative contracts.
The governing board further stated that when broader institutional goals are at jeopardy, it has the authority to refuse nationality changes under its eligibility regulations. Despite looking into Ofili’s complaints with Nigerian sporting officials, the panel decided that the more general regulatory issues were more important.
After competing for Nigeria at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the sprinter obtained Turkish citizenship, signed a long-term contract, and announced plans to move. According to the regulations, those developments were deemed insufficient justification for approval.
Okowa called for unity around one of Nigeria’s top track stars and welcomed the prospect of Ofili’s comeback in a statement released by Maxwell Kumoye, the head of the AFN Media Committee.
The statement said, “The Athletics Federation of Nigeria has formally welcomed sprint sensation Favour Ofili back into its fold, signalling a fresh chapter in the relationship between the athlete and the federation.”
Okowa emphasizes that what she most needs from stakeholders is love, support, encouragement, and more love, and that the current focus should be on creating the ideal atmosphere for the 100m and 200m stars to develop.
“The federation’s position comes at a critical juncture for Nigerian athletics, as it seeks to improve athlete relations and reestablish trust ahead of significant international tournaments.
“Ofili’s return is expected to boost Nigeria’s sprint prospects, with the AFN hopeful that she will be able to reach her full potential on the international stage with renewed support from officials, fans, and the athletics community.”
Ofili cannot represent Turkey in international championships, although he is still qualified to compete for Nigeria and in individual international competitions like the Diamond League. She has not yet made any public remarks regarding the decision.
Turkey Will Contest the CAS Favor Ofili Decision
The Court of Arbitration for Sport will hear Turkey’s appeal of the World Athletics ruling.
The action comes after the World Athletics Nationality Review Panel rejected the transfer request on Thursday, citing issues with athlete recruitment procedures and the fairness of international competition.
Turkish officials are contemplating a legal challenge, according to veteran journalist Kayon Raynor of Jamaica.
Raynor stated on 𝕏 that “Turkey will be appealing the decision by World Athletics to reject the transfer of allegiance applications of 11 athletes, and they will also take the appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sports, CAS.”
Ofili and the other athletes are still free to compete in one-day meetings and club events, but the verdict prohibits them from representing Turkey at major championships like the Olympic Games and World Championships.
