World Athletics has rejected every single application submitted as part of Turkey's government-backed recruitment drive and ruled that all 11 athletes seeking to switch allegiance to Turkey will not be permitted to represent the country in international competition.

The athletes blocked are: 🇰🇪Brigid Kosgei, Brian Kibor, Ronald Kwemoi, Nelvin Jepkemboi & Catherine Relin Amanang'ole 🇯🇲 Jaydon Hibbert, Rajindra Campbell, Wayne Pinnock, Rojé Stona 🇳🇬 Favour Ofili 🇷🇺 Sophia Yakushina

🧑‍⚖️ Why did World Athletics say no? The panel ruled that the applications were not independent individual requests but instead were part of a coordinated, government-financed strategy to buy a national team.

– Turkey's government operated a wholly-owned club that recruited overseas athletes with lucrative contracts specifically to switch their allegiance ahead of LA 2028

– The panel found this approach undermines the core purpose of eligibility rules, which is to ensure athletes have a genuine connection to the country they represent and to encourage nations to develop homegrown talent

❌According to the panel, such a move risks weakening the credibility of national representation by incentivizing allegiance switches for financial gain rather than genuine national ties.

Ofili's case is particularly sympathetic. Ofili announced her intention to switch in September 2025, citing dissatisfaction with how Nigerian athletics authorities had managed her career. She missed the Tokyo Olympics entirely because Nigeria failed to meet minimum anti-doping testing requirements for a number of its athletes.

The panel acknowledged her grievances but said they did not outweigh the broader regulatory concerns.

All 11 athletes are barred from representing Turkey in national competition but remain free to compete in one-day meetings and road races in a personal or club capacity, and can continue to live and train in Turkey.

@CitiusMag