The Nigerian Sports Commission (NSC) is stepping up its efforts to prevent sprinter Favour Ofili from competing for Turkey in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, requesting that her clearance be delayed until September 2028—after the Games—due to allegations of "unpatriotic" behavior and a $20,000 grant from Nigeria in 2025.
Ofili's Switch Explained
Favour Ofili, a well-known Nigerian 200m sprinter, has announced that she will change her nationality to Turkey in mid-2025, following years of frustration with Nigerian athletic officials. Key grievances include her failure to compete in the 100m at Paris 2024 despite qualifying, as well as a Tokyo 2020 relay disqualification due to administrative errors. She referred to this as "systemic neglect," which led her to seek additional assistance.
NSC's Block Strategy
The NSC says Ofili "still belongs to Nigeria" because of the funding and wants World Athletics to impose further restrictions beyond the customary three-year changeover delay. They argue that no eligibility should be granted until after the July 2028 Olympics, citing the need to defend national interests.
Rules and Precedents
World Athletics allows switches three years after important events, with exceptions for mismanagement cases—Ofili's record meets this. Similar athlete withdrawals from Nigeria have previously been successful, but the NSC's funding argument provides a novel twist.