The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has expressed shock and deep disappointment over reports that top Nigerian sprinter, Favour Ofili, is seeking to switch allegiance to Türkiye.
In an official press statement released on Sunday, AFN President, Chief Tonobok Okowa, said the Federation only became aware of Ofili’s alleged intention through media reports, without prior official communication from the athlete or World Athletics (WA).
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“Like every other sports-loving Nigerian, we are shocked and saddened by the news. We are yet to receive any formal notification from Favour or World Athletics regarding this move,” Okowa stated.
The 22-year-old, widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most promising female sprinters, has been at the center of controversy following her omission from the 100m event at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, a situation which reportedly strained her relationship with Nigerian athletics authorities.
According to Okowa, despite that incident, the AFN had continued supporting her development and had already disbursed her training grant for the year.
However, he revealed that the athlete has remained unresponsive to outreach attempts from the Federation.
“From our observations, it appears she had been quietly preparing for this switch. While she is old enough to make decisions about her career, this is a painful development for us,” Okowa added. “She remains our child, sister, and daughter.”
The AFN President also issued an apology to Nigerians, the National Sports Commission (NSC), and supporters of Nigerian athletics worldwide for the unfortunate turn of events.
“We are deeply sorry for this heartbreaking move. We acknowledge our own shortcomings but have worked diligently to rebuild trust and improve the sport.”
The Federation also noted recurring issues with Ofili’s commitment to national team duties, citing past instances where she either skipped national trials or selectively chose events to compete in. Most notably, at the 2024 African Championships in Cameroon, Ofili reportedly pulled out of the 100m semifinals after the heats, citing dissatisfaction with the competition atmosphere. She was also absent from the 2024 African Games in Ghana.
“Ofili is undeniably one of our finest athletes in recent times, but she has proven difficult to manage,” the Federation stated. “Despite this, we respect her choice and wish her success in her future endeavors, wherever she may be.”
The AFN affirmed its commitment to nurturing homegrown talent and strengthening its relationship with other top-performing athletes still committed to the Nigerian cause.
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