You don’t treat athletes that way and expect them to give their best – Top Nigerian sprinter Ashe switches allegiance to Qatar

Nigerian sprint sensation, Favour Ashe has changed his sporting nationality to represent Qatar.

Ashe confirmed the development in an interview over the weekend, explaining that his decision was not meant to discredit Nigeria’s support over the years but was influenced by his personal experiences with sports administrators.

According to him, his participation in last year’s National Sports Festival turned into a disappointing episode. He said he had hoped his presence would elevate the competition but instead felt sidelined and undervalued.

“You don’t treat athletes that way and expect them to give their best,” Ashe said, expressing frustration over how he was handled.

He also pointed to infrastructural challenges, revealing that training conditions in Nigeria affected his preparation, particularly due to substandard tracks. Having completed his studies in the United States, he noted that he no longer had access to college training facilities, making relocation necessary.

The sprinter disclosed that he has been based in Qatar for the past five months and was surprised to find several young Nigerian athletes already training there. He expressed confidence that they could build a strong 4x100m relay squad for their new country.

Ashe’s move follows a similar decision by fellow Nigerian sprint star Favour Ofili, who switched allegiance to Turkey in 2025 after alleging poor treatment by officials of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.