By Ayomide Otitoju
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has expressed deep disappointment over reports suggesting Olympic sprinter Favour Ofili has switched her sporting allegiance to Turkey, less than three months before the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
AFN President Tonobok Okowa, in a statement on Sunday, said the federation had received no official notification from Ofili or World Athletics regarding the move.
“If true, it is painful and disheartening,” Okowa said. “Ofili is a promising athlete with great potential, and we are saddened by this development.”
Ofili, 22, reportedly made the switch after expressing frustration over repeated administrative failures by the AFN. She had previously voiced her displeasure in a series of social media posts following her omission from the 100m event at the Paris Olympics.
Okowa acknowledged past challenges but said they did not occur under his administration. “The Tokyo Olympics errors were not ours. We’ve corrected those mistakes and funded over 60% of doping tests ahead of the Paris Games,” he noted.
He also criticized Ofili’s inconsistent commitment to national competitions, citing her refusal to compete at the 2024 African Championships and her absence from the African Games in Ghana.
Despite the strained relationship, Okowa said the federation holds no grudge. “She’s still our daughter, and we wish her well. But the truth must be told—she has been difficult to manage,” he added.
Ofili holds Nigeria’s 200m national record at 21.96s and a 100m personal best of 10.78s. Her reported switch is yet to be formally confirmed by World Athletics.
