World Athletics has rejected an application by Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili to switch her sporting nationality to Turkey, confirming she remains eligible to compete for Nigeria.
The decision, announced on Thursday and communicated to the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, followed a review of her request alongside others submitted by Turkish authorities as part of preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
World Athletics said the move could undermine the integrity of global athletics, raising concerns that nationality switches driven by incentives may discourage the development of local talent and displace homegrown athletes.
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The Athletics Federation of Nigeria has welcomed the decision, with its President, Tonobok Okowa, calling for support for the 23-year-old athlete, who had sought the switch after previous administrative issues affected her participation in major competitions, including the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
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