The National Sports Commission (NSC) has stated that it has not received any formal notification from Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili regarding reports of her alleged decision to switch national allegiance to Turkey.
Addressing the media at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, NSC Director-General Bukola Olopade clarified that Ofili remains a Nigerian athlete, despite widespread speculation.
“To date, Ofili has not officially informed the NSC of any nationality change,” Olopade said.
He suggested that the sprinter’s reported intent to switch may be driven by ongoing frustrations with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) citing her omission from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and exclusion from the 100m event at the upcoming Paris Games as possible contributing factors.
Olopade highlighted the NSC’s ongoing support for Ofili through its Elite Athletes Programme (EAP), which provides annual grants of $20,000 to top-performing athletes for training and competition purposes.
“Athlete welfare is non-negotiable,” he affirmed, stressing the commission’s continued dedication to supporting Nigerian sports talent.
He also announced the creation of the Elite Athletes and Podium Board, a new initiative aimed at addressing performance-related and welfare concerns across the country’s elite sports landscape.
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