Favour Ashe,
Nigeria’s seventh-fastest man in history over 100m (personal best: 9.94s), has
officially transferred his international allegiance to Qatar.
Reasons for Move: Ashe cited poor treatment, inadequate
facilities, and limited opportunities in Nigeria as the main reasons behind his
decision. He specifically mentioned his dissatisfaction with how he was treated
at the 2025 National Sports Festival.
Training in Qatar He revealed he has been training in Qatar
for the past five months and expressed optimism about strengthening Qatar’s
4x100m relay team.
-AFN Response: The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN)
stated it was unaware of the switch and has launched an investigation into the
matter. The AFN president, Tonobok Okowa, said they will begin probing
athletes’ statuses to understand the situation better.
Broader Trend: Ashe’s move follows that of Favour Ofili, the
150m world record holder, who reportedly initiated a nationality switch in
2025. This has raised concerns about a growing exodus of Nigerian track stars
to other countries.
Implications
-For Nigeria: The loss of Ashe highlights ongoing challenges
in Nigerian athletics, including athlete welfare and infrastructure.
For Qatar :His addition boosts Qatar’s sprinting prospects,
especially in relay events, as they continue to invest heavily in
athletics.
For African Athletics: This trend could spark wider debates
about athlete retention and support systems across the continent.
