World Athletics blocks Favour Ofili’s request to dump Nigeria for Turkey

World Athletics has rejected Nigerian sprinter, Favour Ofili’s application to switch her allegiance to Turkey. 

Ofili was hoping to represent the European country at the 2028 Olympics. 

In a document released on Thursday, April 16, the World Athletics Nationality Review Panel ruled that the application submitted by the Türkiye Athletics Federation would not be approved after reviewing the circumstances surrounding the request. 

The panel noted that granting the request would undermine key regulatory principles guiding international athletics. 

“The Application by the TAF for Favour OFILI (the ‘Athlete’) to transfer allegiance from NGR to TUR is not approved,” the World Athletics panel stated. 

The panel was made up of Donna Raynor, Cydonie Motherskill and Susanne van Waert.