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 revelation came from Jamaican journalist Kayon Raynor, who announced via X (formerly Twitter) that the 22-year-old filed the request on May 31, 2025. Raynor, citing sources from TVJ News Centre, said Ofili had formally notified the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of her decision.
Ofili, who stunned the world in May by clocking 15.85 seconds to set a new 150m world record at the Adidas Atlanta City Games, is said to be disillusioned with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) due to repeated administrative failures.
According to Raynor, Ofili missed the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after the AFN failed to confirm her required number of doping control tests. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, she was omitted from the 100m event despite being fit and available. She went on to place sixth in the 200m final.
Sources insist her decision was not financially motivated. “Ofili impressed upon the AIU that her switch to Turkey was not for financial reasons,” Raynor noted.
As of now, World Athletics still lists Ofili under Nigeria, and she remains eligible for the World Championships, scheduled to run from September 13 to 21 in Tokyo.
If confirmed, her switch would mark a major setback for Nigeria’s medal prospects and raises fresh concerns about the AFN’s handling of top-tier athletes.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 revelation came from Jamaican journalist Kayon Raynor, who announced via X (formerly Twitter) that the 22-year-old filed the request on May 31, 2025. Raynor, citing sources from TVJ News Centre, said Ofili had formally notified the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of her decision.
Ofili, who stunned the world in May by clocking 15.85 seconds to set a new 150m world record at the Adidas Atlanta City Games, is said to be disillusioned with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) due to repeated administrative failures.
According to Raynor, Ofili missed the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after the AFN failed to confirm her required number of doping control tests. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, she was omitted from the 100m event despite being fit and available. She went on to place sixth in the 200m final.
Sources insist her decision was not financially motivated. “Ofili impressed upon the AIU that her switch to Turkey was not for financial reasons,” Raynor noted.
As of now, World Athletics still lists Ofili under Nigeria, and she remains eligible for the World Championships, scheduled to run from September 13 to 21 in Tokyo.
If confirmed, her switch would mark a major setback for Nigeria’s medal prospects and raises fresh concerns about the AFN’s handling of top-tier athletes.
