World Athletics has declined an application by Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili to switch her sporting allegiance from Nigeria to Turkey.

The decision represents a setback for Ofili, who had sought to represent Turkey in future international competitions, including the 2028 Olympic Games.

In a ruling issued on Thursday, the World Athletics Nationality Review Panel confirmed that the request submitted by the Türkiye Athletics Federation (TAF) would not be approved following a review of the circumstances surrounding the proposed transfer.

The panel stated that granting the application would be inconsistent with established regulatory principles governing international eligibility in athletics.

“The Application by the TAF for Favour OFILI (the ‘Athlete’) to transfer allegiance from NGR to TUR is not approved,” the panel said in its decision.

The ruling was delivered by panel members Donna Raynor, Cydonie Motherskill, and Susanne van Waert.