With the Nigeria athletics community still buzzing from Oluwatobi Amusan’s 12.24s finish at the Meeting de Paris, Diamond League, the celebrations were quickly doused following news of Favor Ofili dumping Nigeria for Turkey.
Amusan came in second in the Women’s 100m hurdles final behind USA’s Grace Stark. It was the Nigerian’s best time since 2022 – when she set the World record.
However, a somber mood quickly engulfed the Stade Sébastien Charléty race with reports that 22 year-old has commenced the process of switching international allegiance to Turkey.
Allegiance Transfer Process
According to reports, Ofili logged in her application for the switch on May 31, 2025, but there’s a waiting period before the process is completed.
While World Athletics frowns at Athletes switching for financial incentives, its rules allow for the transfer of allegiance, and here are some of the conditions:
Any athlete with dual nationality or who becomes eligible for another country through Marriage, residency or descent.
Three-year wait after the athlete’s last international appearance, unless both federations agree to waive it.
Athletes under the age of 20 can’t switch. The rules protect young talents from being poached by richer countries.
Transfer are permanent; you can only change allegiance once in your career.
Athletes must submit an official application through their new federation, which gets reviewed by WA.
How we got here
Ofili, who has been at loggerheads with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria over what has been described as a disservice, has become a pattern.
At the 2020 Olympic Games, Ofili was not allowed to compete despite qualifying after the AFN failed to meet minimum testing requirements for a number of its athletes.
Four years later, the Athlete was deregistered from competing in the 100m event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games despite qualifying.
Although the AFN offered its explanation why the National champion was left out of the event, dissenting voices in the Federation claimed Ofili was being ‘tolerated’.
On Sunday, news broke of the 150m record holder’s switch hit the internet, and AFN president Tonobok Okowa has described it ‘painful’.
‘If this is true, it is sad, disheartening and painful but we are yet to get any official statement from her or any correspondence from World Athletics, on her request,’ An AFN statement quoting Okowa read.
‘From the moves we have been making to get her fully prepared and back to the big athletics family and her response, it’s also clear that she had been preparing and working on her new found Turkish love.
‘She is old enough to decide what’s best for her but it is painful and hard to take for us, however, we will not stop her, she is still our child, sister and daughter.’
Meanwhile, in his reaction Chairman, National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko revealed mechanisms will be put in place to dissuade aggrieved elite athletes and forestall a repeat.
Dikko reiterated that the NSC is ramping up efforts to give more incentives and provide adequate welfare for Nigerian athletes.
In recent times Turkey has welcomed the Athletes from Jamaica including Olympic medalists Roje Stona and Rajindra Campbell.
Long jump star Wayne Pinnock and U20 Triple jump record holder, Jaydon Hibbert are in the process of completing their switch.
More Reactions
Favor Ofili has been touted as the next face of Nigerian Athletics and her switch will send a bad signal to young athletes.
2013 AFCON winner and Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa has described the news as disappointing.
Musa told brila.net that the decision is understandable, but has urged the Sports Authorities to wake up to their responsibilities.
