Favour Ofili’s purported switch to Turkey not official – NSC DG
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Honourable Bukola Olopade, has reaffirmed that Favour Ofili remains a Nigerian athlete, dismissing reports about her alleged switch of allegiance to Turkey.
Speaking at a World Press Conference for the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) U-18 and U-20 Championships in Abuja, Olopade, who is also the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), clarified that there is no official confirmation regarding any nationality change for the sprinter.
“Favour Ofili is still representing Nigeria. She wrote to the NSC two months ago, reaffirming her commitment to compete for Nigeria,” Olopade stated.
He further revealed, “When I resumed as DG of the NSC, I called her personally, and she confirmed her allegiance to Nigeria.”
Olopade also noted that Ofili is among 69 athletes who received financial grants from the NSC in April 2025, reinforcing her status as an active part of Nigeria’s athletics development.
“There has been no official communication from any international federation or national body indicating that she has switched allegiance. As far as the NSC is concerned, she remains a Nigerian athlete,” he emphasized.
The clarification comes amid widespread speculation suggesting that Ofili, a multiple-time national champion and international medalist, was in the process of switching allegiance to Turkey—claims the NSC has firmly refuted.
