Favour Ofili switch allegiance from Nigeria to Turkey
Wia dis foto come from, David Ramos/Getty Images
Nigerian athlete, Favour Ofili don switch her allegiance from Nigeria to Turkey
Di 22-year-old athlete confam di reports say she don change her allegiance from Nigeria to go begin represent Turkey as international athlete.
On Monday, Ofili announce for her X account say becos of negligence from Athletics Federation Of Nigeria (AFC) and Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), she don decide to switch allegiance from Nigeria to Turkey wia she go begin represent dem internationally for sport.
Ofili tok say she no go compete for di 2025 championship competition wey go hold for Tokyo for September while explaining say her decision to switch allegiance no be becos of monetary compensation but becos she don finally discover "new home for Turkey".
"I dey proud say I don represent Nigeria for many years in highly successful way! I don win SIX gold medals, TWO silver medals and TWO bronze medals in championship meets and 200 meter Olympic finalist while experiencing di biggest disappointment from AFN and NOC towards me," she tok.
Ofili say: "Negligence towards me for Olympic (Tokyo/Paris). I don make me make dis decision.. While e mean say sitting out dis year championship for Tokyo, dis change dey come from di heart, no be becos of financial motives. I dey truly grateful to don discover new home for turkey.
"I dey happy for wetin dey ahead and grateful for all di support I get from my coach, agent, sponsor Adidas and my loved ones during dis difficult time."
For July 2024, Favour Ofili for her Instagram page, accuse AFN and NOC say dem no register her for di 100m race depsite say she qualify for di 100 meters at di Olympic Games wey hold for Paris in 2024.
"Na wit great regret dem just tell me say I no go fit compete in di 100 meters at dis Olympic Games. I dey qualified, but pipo wit AFN and NOC fail to enta my name," she bin tok.
"Afta I don work for four years for dis opportunity, - I no fit to participate sake of di organization wey dey responsible fail to enta my name?," Ofili bin ask.
Nigeria Minister of Sports Development John Owan Enoh bin react to di allegations and im say dem go investigate as a sport ministry.
Enoh bin say im don reach out to President of di NOC becos e no fit tolerate dis "utter recklessness" and "highly inexcusable" incompetence.
E tok say dem go thorough sanctions afta investigations from wia di negligence and make dem no deprive Ofili for race wey she qualify for at di Paris olympics.
"As an immediate measure, di Athletic Federation of Nigeria and di Nigeria Olympic Committee must ensure say Favour Ofili no dey deprived of di opportunity to compete in di races wey she qualify and register to represent di kontri at di Paris Olympics."
Later for August, Enoh tok say afta investigations dem discover say AFN no check di list to confam weda Ofili go compete in di 100m race afta World Athletics bin publish dia names.
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Ofili achievement ova di years wen she bin compete for Nigeria
Wia dis foto come from, BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images
Ofili na one of di top young athletes for Nigeria, she bin rise from junior rank to senior rank.
Ofili, wey hail from Port-Hartcourt start her journey from di U-20 women's category wia she bin compete and win medals for Nigeria.
According to di World Athletics, Ofili currently rank as di sixth best woman for di 200m race and 28th best for di 100m woman race.
For 2022, Ofili win silver medal in di Women's 200m race of 2024 Olympics Games for Paris.
For di 2022 Commonwealth Games Championship for di Women's 4x100m Relay, Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma, Grace Nwokocha, and Amusan win gold for Nigeria.
She also participate for di 2021 World U-20 Championship for Nairobi wia she win bronze for di 200m women category.
Ofili performance don win her global brand sponsorship and scholarship.
Wetin di International sport body law tok and oda Nigerians wey don switch allegiance
Wia dis foto come from, David Ramos/Stu Forster/Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
On World Athletics website Ofili still dey represent Nigeria despite say she don switch allegiance.
According to World Athletics laws, if athlete change affiliation, e go need to wait for three years afta dia last competition bifor e go fit compete for anoda nation.
World Athletics say "di rules accept athletes affiliation abroad as long as dia original national federations approve am".
But dem add say, "for athletes wey don already represent one kontri for World Championships, Olympic Games, continental, regional or area championships and cups, more requirements dey for dem to fulfil".
Dem go on to tok say, "If athlete change citizenship through marriage, di transfer to di new kontri go dey wit immediate effect as long as di new kontri federation gree."
Olympics Charter Rule 41 also dey corroborate World Athletics, say for athlete wey wan participate for different kontris e go need to wait for "three years to pass since e last represent di last kontri bifor e go fit represent anoda kontri.
Oda Nigerians wey switch allegiance to oda kontris na Gloria Alozie (Spain), Salwa Eid Naser (Bahrain), Femi Ogunode (Qatar), Francis Obikwelu (Portugal) and Florence Ekpo-Umoh (Germany).
