Ashe Leaves Nigeria Citing Better Support and Training Opportunities in Qatar. Predicts Mass Exodus of Athlete.
Nigerian sprint sensation Favour Ashe, one of Nigeria’s fastest male sprinters, has reportedly begun the process to switch his international athletic allegiance from Nigeria to Qatar. The move, which has generated debate in Nigerian sports circles, comes amid ongoing concerns over athlete support and infrastructure at home.
Ashe, 23, emerged as a top Nigerian 100m sprinter with a personal best of 9.94 seconds — one of the fastest legal times by any Nigerian and has competed at major global meets including the World Championships and the Olympic Games while studying and training in the United States.
Athlete Cites Support and Opportunity
According to reports, Ashe spent several months training in Qatar and cited poor treatment, sub-standard facilities in Nigeria, and limited opportunities for professional growth as key reasons behind his decision to pursue a change of federation.
“I struggled to train because of substandard track facilities,” the sprinter reportedly said in a statement. “Having completed my studies in the United States, I could no longer access college training facilities in Nigeria.”
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has stated it was not aware of the move and has launched a probe into Ashe’s status, while World Athletics regulations require a waiting period before an athlete can represent a new country in international competition.
Under current World Athletics eligibility rules, a transfer of allegiance involves a mandatory waiting period; typically three years from the athlete’s last representation of their former country though exceptions can be granted in certain cases. This may delay Ashe’s ability to compete for Qatar in championships until after the waiting period unless an exemption is approved.
Ashe’s prospective switch follows a trend of Nigerian athletes seeking opportunities abroad. Nigerian-born 150m world record holder Favour Ofili previously changed her allegiance to Turkiye, and the AFN president has warned of a potential exodus of top track and field talents unless systemic changes are made.
Sports analysts say the departure of elite talents like Ashe highlights broader issues in Nigerian athletics, such as inadequate funding, lack of world-class facilities, and inconsistent administrative support.
As the investigation continues and Ashe’s transfer application moves through the necessary channels, the athletics world will watch closely to see whether he officially becomes eligible to represent Qatar and how Nigeria may respond to retain future sprint talents.