Nigeria’s seventh-fastest man in history over 100 metres, Favour Ashe, has officially switched his international allegiance to Qatar, citing poor treatment, inadequate facilities, and limited professional opportunities in Nigeria as key reasons for the move.
Ashe, whose personal best of 9.94 seconds ranks him among Nigeria’s elite sprinters, confirmed the development in a statement released on Monday. He revealed that he has been training in Qatar for the past five months and expressed optimism about strengthening the Qatari 4x100m relay team.
“I was not treated properly at the 2025 National Sports Festival,” Ashe said. “Those managing athletics in Nigeria showed no human feeling. Returning my career to Nigeria was a setback. I struggled to train due to substandard track facilities, and having completed my studies in the United States, I could no longer access college training facilities.”
He added: “I am very sure we will form a formidable 4x100m relay team for Qatar,” highlighting the surprisingly large number of young Nigerian athletes already training in the Gulf nation.
Under current World Athletics regulations, Ashe must observe a three-year waiting period from his last representation of Nigeria, meaning he will not be eligible to compete for Qatar until after 2027 unless an exception is granted.
Ashe’s decision reflects a growing trend among Nigerian track and field talents seeking better support and opportunities abroad, amid challenges in the domestic system, including insufficient infrastructure, inconsistent funding, and administrative hurdles.
He joins a rising list of Nigerian athletes who have changed allegiances internationally, including sprinter Favour Ofili, who recently opted to represent Turkiye.
ELIJAH ADEYEMI
No comments:
Post a Comment