By Nigerian Sprinter, Favour Ofili has justified her decision to switch allegiance to Turkey, saying the move was necessary to safeguard her career after repeated administrative lapses by Nigerian sports authorities.
In an interview with The Guardian, Ofili explained that the re-election of officials she holds responsible for her inability to compete in the 100 metre at the Paris 2024 Olympics was the final factor that pushed her to leave, insisting there’s no regrets.
Her comments followed reports that the National Sports Commission (NSC) signaled she would not be released to represent Turkey at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Ofili said her decision was aimed at preventing a repeat of past disappointments, accusing Nigerian officials of demonstrating a lack of professionalism and administrative capacity. No
She argued that her career had been jeopardized by avoidable lapses and maintained that she has now moved to a system where elite athletes are treated with greater structure and respect.
Responding to comments by former Olympic medalist Mary Onyali, who previously said she declined opportunities to switch allegiance out of loyalty to Nigeria, Ofili said her situation was different. She noted that she had been denied the opportunity to compete at the highest level through no fault of her own.
Her departure reflects a broader trend of Nigerian athletes opting to represent other nations, including Qatar, the UAE and Bahrain. Among recent examples are Favour Ashe and Sunday Akitan.
Ofili’s coach, Shaver, said he has consistently encouraged Nigerian athletes to represent their country with pride but acknowledged that her emotional exhaustion and fear of further setbacks made her decision understandable.
“It is not a rejection of Nigeria, but rather a response to repeated heartbreak,” he said.
Ofili’s switch, alongside the growing list of athlete departures, underscores mounting concerns about governance and athlete management in Nigeria.
