The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has denied playing any role in World Athletics' decision to block sprinter Favour Ofili's attempt to switch her national allegiance to Turkey. AFN spokesperson Maxwell Kumoye, in a conversation with TheCable on Friday, said the federation did not initiate or influence the ruling, clarifying that the decision was made solely by World Athletics. Ofili, a Nigerian-born sprinter who competes internationally for Nigeria, had reportedly sought to represent Turkey, but her application was rejected by the global governing body. Kumoye stated that World Athletics reached its verdict based on its own regulations and procedures, without interference from the AFN. The exact grounds for the rejection were not detailed in the statement, but the AFN emphasized it had no objection to the athlete's intentions. Ofili has not publicly commented on the matter.
The AFN claims it had no hand in blocking Favour Ofili's switch to Turkey, yet offers no explanation for why World Athletics made the decision. If the federation truly had no involvement, Nigerian athletes may question what criteria are being applied to nationality switches. The lack of clarity from both AFN and World Athletics leaves athletes in uncertain territory. This silence could affect future decisions by Nigerian sportspeople considering similar moves.
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