Turkey will appeal against World Athletics for stopping Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili from changing her country to Turkey as the case will go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
New daily Prime reported that World Athletics has rejected an application by Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili to switch her international allegiance to Turkey.
This now affects her hopes to compete under a new flag at future global competitions, including the 2028 Olympic Game
Turkish Athletics Federation tried to change Ofili’s nationality, but World Athletics rejected it as they are now worried about fair play and how countries are taking athletes.
Jamaican journalist Kayon Raynor said Turkey is ready to fight the decision in court.
“Turkey will appeal the rejection of 11 athletes’ transfer requests, and they will take it to CAS,” Raynor wrote on X.
The 11 athletes were:
5 from Kenya: Brigid Kosgei, Brian Kibor, Ronald Kwemoi, Nelvin Jepkemboi, and Catherine Relin Amanang’ole
4 from Jamaica: Jaydon Hibbert, Rajindra Campbell, Wayne Pinnock, and Rojé Stona
1 from Nigeria: Favour Ofili
1 from Russia: Sophia Yakushina
World Athletics rejected all 11 requests. They said Turkey’s plan, backed by the government, was to buy ready-made athletes to make their team stronger for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
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They said this kind of move is not good for the sport. It hurts the idea of true national representation. Countries should grow their own athletes instead of just paying to take them from others.
The panel said: “The request to change Favour Ofili from Nigeria to Turkey is not approved.”
Because of this, Ofili and the others cannot run for Turkey in big events like the Olympics or World Championships. But they can still run in small meets or for clubs.
Nigeria’s Athletics Federation welcomed Ofili back. Their president, Tonobok Okowa, said everyone should support her with love. He said what she needs most is “love, support, encouragement and more love.”
Former president of Nigeria’s Athletics Federation, Solomon Ogba, supported World Athletics’ decision. He thanked Sebastian Coe, the president of World Athletics, and called it a win for fairness.
He said it is wrong for rich countries to use money to take athletes that poorer countries have trained for many years.
The case will now go to CAS. Turkey hopes to win there. It could become an important ruling on how athletes change countries in future.
