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World Athletics has rejected an application for Nigerian sprint star Favour Ofili to switch her international allegiance to Turkey, dealing a major blow to her plans ahead of future global competitions. The decision was made by the governing body’s Nationality Review Panel after reviewing a request submitted by the Turkish Athletics Federation. As a result, Ofili will not be eligible to represent Turkey at international events, including the 2028 Olympic Games. 
According to World Athletics, the application was rejected because it formed part of a broader recruitment strategy by Turkey aimed at attracting foreign athletes with lucrative incentives. The panel expressed concern that such moves could undermine the integrity of international athletics by encouraging nationality switches driven mainly by financial or competitive advantage rather than genuine national ties. It also warned that approving such requests could weaken efforts by countries to develop homegrown talent. 
The ruling also noted that Turkey had submitted about 11 similar applications involving athletes from different countries, all of which were denied under the same reasoning. Despite acknowledging Ofili’s personal grievances with Nigerian athletics authorities, the panel concluded that her situation did not outweigh the wider regulatory concerns. 
With the decision now in place, Ofili remains eligible to compete for Nigeria in international competitions, although she may still participate in club-level events or seek legal redress through the Court of Arbitration for Sport if she chooses. The development highlights ongoing tensions around athlete nationality transfers and growing scrutiny of recruitment practices in global athletics. 
