The track and field star, Favour Ofili, officially announced on Monday that she has switched her sporting nationality from Nigeria to Turkey.
The 22-year-old who runs 100m, 150m and 200m events announced the switch via a post on her X handle.
Reports had surfaced in July that the Port Harcourt-born athlete was set to change her nationality to the European country following long-standing feud with the country’s athletics authorities.
Ofili was unable to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after Nigerian Olympic officials failed to update her on the minimum drug-testing requirement needed for participation.
Four years later, another administrative blunder cost her the chance to run in the 100m event at Paris 2024, as the Athletics Federation of Nigeria did not submit her name within the required deadline.
In a series of tweets, Ofili revealed that she made the “big decision” to switch allegiance following repeated cases of negligence.
“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,” she wrote.
“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 a 200 meter Olympic finalist while experiencing the biggest disappointment from AFN and NOC towards me. Negligence towards me in Olympic (Tokyo/Paris). I have made this decision.”
The 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medalist clarified that financial benefits were not a factor in her choice to switch to Turkey.
“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,” she added.
Ofili now follows in the footsteps of high-profile athletes such as Gloria Alozie and Francis Obikwelu, who both switched allegiances in the 2000s — Alozie to Spain and Obikwelu to Portugal.