The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, has reaffirmed that elite sprinter and 150m world record holder, Favour Ofili, remains committed to representing Nigeria, despite recent speculation suggesting a potential switch to Turkey.
Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday ahead of the Confederation of African Athletics U-18 and U-20 Championships in Abuja, Olopade who also heads the event’s Local Organising Committee dismissed the rumors outright.
“Favour Ofili is still representing Nigeria. Just two months ago, she officially wrote to the NSC, reiterating her commitment to compete for Nigeria,” Olopade stated.
“When I assumed this role, I contacted her directly, and she personally reaffirmed her allegiance to the country.”
Olopade further revealed that Ofili was one of 69 athletes who received financial support from the NSC in April 2025, underlining her continued involvement in Nigeria’s sports development framework.
“There has been no communication formal or otherwise from any international federation or national authority indicating a change in her nationality,” he added. “As far as the NSC is concerned, she remains a Nigerian athlete.”
This clarification follows persistent media reports claiming that Ofili, a multiple-time national champion and global medal contender, was preparing to switch allegiances to Turkey a move the NSC firmly denies.
The speculation has ignited widespread concern within Nigerian athletics circles, particularly given Ofili’s standing as one of the nation’s brightest prospects on the global stage.
President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Tonobok Okowa, also addressed the issue, expressing concern over the rumors.
“If this turns out to be true, it would be sad, disheartening, and painful,” Okowa said.
“While we’ve faced challenges in fully supporting her, we’ve made efforts to keep her within our system. She’s mature enough to make her own decisions, but so far, we’ve received no official notification from her or World Athletics.”
If Ofili were to initiate a switch of allegiance, she would face a three-year ineligibility period under World Athletics regulations, due to her participation for Nigeria at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Her potential defection would echo a familiar pattern seen among other Nigerian-born athletes who later competed for other nations such as Francis Obikwelu (Portugal), Gloria Alozie (Spain), Florence Ekpo-Umoh (Germany), Femi Ogunode (Qatar), and Salwa Eid Naser (Bahrain).
Turkey, according to reports, has been actively recruiting elite foreign athletes, allegedly offering substantial financial incentives as part of its broader sporting ambitions.
Nevertheless, World Athletics continues to officially list Ofili as a Nigerian athlete, and she remains among those qualified to represent Nigeria at the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo, scheduled for September 13–21.
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