Sprinter Favour Ofili has switched her allegiance from Nigeria to Turkey.
Glamtush reports that Olympic sprinter, Favour Ofili, has confirmed she will now represent Turkey, bringing an end to her international career with Nigeria.
She cited negligence by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC) as the reason.
She announced the decision on her social media accounts, stating that the change “comes from the heart, not from financial motives.”
The announcement comes a day after the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) named its 15-member squad for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, with Ofili missing from the list.
Sarah Ofili, who holds the Nigerian women’s 200m record with a time of 21.96s, will not compete at the World Championships in Tokyo this year but will be eligible to represent Turkey from 2027.
Ofili wrote, “Wrapping up my 2025 season has been a whirlwind of new experiences and big decisions. Racing back-to-back across amazing cities and learning from the best has been incredible. As some of you have heard, I’m also starting a new chapter representing Turkey.
“I am proud to have represented Nigeria for many years in a highly successful way. Having won six gold medals, two silver medals and two bronze medals in championship meets, and being a 200m Olympic finalist, while experiencing the biggest disappointments from AFN and NOC for their negligence towards me.
“Negligence towards me in Olympic (Tokyo/Paris). I have made this decision.. While that means sitting out this year’s championship in Tokyo, this change comes from the heart, not from financial motives. I’m truly grateful to have discovered a new home in Turkey. I’m excited for what’s ahead and grateful for all the support I got from my coach, agent, sponsor @adidas and my loved ones during this difficult time.”
She represented Nigeria at major global events, including the 2019 Youth Olympics, World Championships in Doha and Budapest, the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, multiple African Championships, and the Paris 2024 Olympics.
