NSC move to stop Favour Ofili from representing Turkey

According to numerous reports, the NSC has moved to stop Favour Ofili from representing Turkey until September 2028.

In a developing standoff between Nigeria’s top athletic talent and its sports administrators, the National Sports Commission (NSC) has officially moved to "block" star sprinter Favour Ofili from completing her nationality switch to Turkey. This move, which comes just months after Ofili announced her departure from the Nigerian team, marks a significant escalation in the struggle to retain elite athletes.

According to a top official from the NSC who spoke with The Guardian, the commission has formally written to World Athletics to argue that Ofili remains tied to the Nigerian flag. The central pillar of the NSC’s argument is that Ofili was a recipient of state-funded elite training grants as recently as 2025.

Because of this financial support, the commission contends that the athlete cannot bypass the mandatory waiting period for nationality transfers. If the NSC’s petition is successful, Ofili would be barred from representing Turkey in international competitions until September 2028, effectively ruling her out of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

The athlete, however, remains firm in her decision to leave. According to a statement made by Ofili through her coach, Dennis Shaver, the decision to represent Turkey was born out of a need to "save her career." The sprinter has cited a pattern of administrative negligence within the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) as the primary catalyst for her exit. Key grievances listed by the athlete include:

• Paris 2024: Failing to register her for the 100m event despite her automatic qualification.
• Tokyo 2020: Being part of the group of athletes declared ineligible due to the federation's failure to meet out-of-competition testing requirements.
• Lack of Accountability: The reappointment of the same officials involved in these "administrative blunders."

The situation has become a litmus test for Nigerian sports policy as the country faces a widening "talent drain." With other prominent figures like Favour Ashe reportedly moving to Qatar, the NSC appears to be using Ofili's case to set a precedent. According to reports from Pulse Sports, the commission views the "funding" clause in the World Athletics transfer rules as its strongest lever to prevent a mass exodus of talent ahead of the next Olympic cycle.