Nigerian sprint sensation and 150m world record holder, Favour Ofili, has reportedly filed to switch her sporting allegiance to Turkey just three months before the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The news was first shared by Jamaica-based journalist Kayon Raynor, who revealed via X: “Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili has switched allegiance to Turkey as of May 31, 2025. In a statement by impeccable TVJ News Centre sources, the 22-year-old has informed the Athletics Integrity Unit of her frustration with the Nigerian Athletics Federation.”
Raynor added that Ofili’s decision stems from repeated administrative failures by Nigerian authorities that have impacted her Olympic journey.
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“Ofili stated that the Nigerian Athletics Federation caused her to miss the Tokyo 2020 Olympics due to their failure to confirm her doping control tests. She was also left out of the 100m event at the Paris Olympics after they failed to enter her name. She went on to finish sixth in the 200m final.”
He further clarified that the move was not financially driven: “It’s further understood that Ofili emphasized to the AIU that her switch to Turkey was not motivated by money.”
Despite this development, World Athletics still lists Ofili as a Nigerian athlete. She remains among those qualified for the upcoming World Championships, scheduled for September 13–21 in Tokyo.
In May, Ofili made headlines at the Adidas Atlanta City Games, setting a new world record in the 150m with a time of 15.85 seconds breaking the previous 16.23-second mark held by Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo.
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