United States-based Nigerian sprinter Favour Ashe is set to change his sporting nationality to Qatar, becoming the latest top athlete to depart Nigeria in search of improved career opportunities abroad.
Ashe, regarded in recent years as one of Nigeria’s fastest men, confirmed that he has been in Qatar for the past five months and is in the process of completing his switch of allegiance.
The 100m specialist, who boasts a personal best of 9.79 seconds, said his decision was driven by dissatisfaction with the athletics structure in Nigeria.
In an interview, Ashe described the local system as unfavourable to his development, noting that he is moving to an environment where athletes are respected and adequately supported.
He also referenced his disqualification from the 100m final at the National Sports Festival in Abeokuta as a turning point. The incident, he said, left him deeply frustrated and contributed to his decision to seek opportunities elsewhere.
According to Ashe, the Qatari federation has already outlined structured plans for its athletes, including international training camps.
“The Qatar federation is taking us to South Africa to begin our season there. This is something Nigeria will never do,” he said, adding that several young Nigerian athletes are currently enrolled in Qatar’s Olympic training programme with comprehensive support.
The sprinter warned that more Nigerian athletes may follow the same path, revealing that many are considering switching allegiance to countries offering better financial incentives and consistent competitive exposure.
Reports also indicate that fellow sprinter Sunday Akintan, who recently clocked an impressive 6.48 seconds in the indoor 60m, has opted for Qatar as the Gulf nation assembles a formidable 4x100m relay squad bolstered by Nigerian talents.
Ashe last represented Team Delta at the National Sports Festival, though officials of the Delta State Sports Commission have reportedly said they were unaware of his planned switch. It remains unclear whether he received any training grants this year from the National Sports Commission.
His departure follows a similar move by Favour Ofili, who switched allegiance to Turkey last year, citing alleged ill treatment by officials of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria during the Paris Olympics.
