Ofili Flies Parents To Türkiye For Special Family Reunion

Nigeria’s 200m record holder Favour Ofili has hosted her parents in Türkiye, months after World Athletics rejected her application to switch international allegiance from Nigeria to the country.

Ofili, who is based and trains in the United States, shared photos on social media at the weekend showing her spending time with her parents during her visit to Türkiye for club competition and promotional engagements.

The family reunion comes five months after the World Athletics Nationality Review Panel rejected an application by the Turkish Athletics Federation to transfer Ofili’s allegiance to Türkiye.

The application, filed on July 4, 2025, was part of a group of 11 athletes from Nigeria, Kenya, Jamaica and Russia seeking nationality transfers.

The panel ruled in April 2026 that the applications formed part of a government-backed recruitment drive ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and determined that approving the transfers would compromise the integrity of international competition.

Ofili was consequently ruled ineligible to represent Türkiye in National Representative Competitions, including the Olympic Games and World Championships.

The 22-year-old, who holds the Nigerian women’s 200m record of 21.96 seconds and finished sixth in the event at the Paris 2024 Olympics, had sought the switch following a series of administrative problems that had affected her international career, including her omission from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Despite the failed nationality transfer, Ofili remains attached to Turkish club Istanbul Gençlik Spor Kulübü (IGSK) and continues to travel to Türkiye for club competitions and promotional activities while maintaining her training base in the United States.

Her latest trip, however, carried a more personal significance as she was joined by her parents, whom she flew in from Nigeria.

‘Quality time with my parents will always mean so much to me,’ Ofili wrote in a social media post.

‘Knowing they don’t always get the opportunity to come watch me run or spend time with me makes moments like these even more special.’

She added: ‘So grateful that this journey brought us together in Türkiye and gave me the opportunity to fly them out from Nigeria, create new memories together, and give them a different experience.’

Ofili remains eligible to compete internationally and, under the World Athletics ruling, will continue to represent Nigeria at major championships.