Sunday, February 15 2026 - Nigerian sprint sensation, Favour Ashe has changed his sporting nationality to represent Qatar.
Ashe confirmed the development in an interview over the
weekend, explaining that his decision was not meant to discredit Nigeria’s
support over the years but was influenced by his personal experiences with
sports administrators.
According to him, his participation in last year’s National
Sports Festival turned into a disappointing episode. He said he had hoped his
presence would elevate the competition but instead felt sidelined and
undervalued.
“You don’t treat athletes that way and expect them to give
their best,” Ashe said, expressing frustration over how he was handled.
He also pointed to infrastructural challenges, revealing
that training conditions in Nigeria affected his preparation, particularly due
to substandard tracks. Having completed his studies in the United States, he
noted that he no longer had access to college training facilities, making
relocation necessary.
The sprinter disclosed that he has been based in Qatar for
the past five months and was surprised to find several young Nigerian athletes
already training there. He expressed confidence that they could build a strong
4x100m relay squad for their new country.
Ashe’s move follows a similar decision by fellow Nigerian
sprint star Favour Ofili, who switched allegiance to Turkey in 2025 after
alleging poor treatment by officials of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria
during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
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