Favour Ashe Yet to Apply for Qatar Allegiance Switch

Despite persistent media speculation linking Nigerian sprinter Favour Ashe to a switch of allegiance to Qatar, World Athletics has confirmed that no official application has been received from him or any other Nigerian athlete. Reports had suggested that Ashe, who recently spent time training in Qatar, intended to change his sporting nationality, potentially joining other Nigerian athletes who have relocated to the Middle Eastern country. These reports indicated that some athletes were attracted by the training facilities and support offered abroad, highlighting differences between the athletic programs in Nigeria and other nations.

Favour Ashe, 23, has achieved a personal best of 9.94 seconds in the 100 metres, placing him joint sixth on Nigeria’s all-time list alongside Davidson Ezinwa. If an athlete files to change allegiance, World Athletics regulations require a standard three-year waiting period before representing the new member federation. For Ashe, if he were to proceed with a switch, his eligibility period would be calculated from 2025, the year he competed in the National Sports Festival in Abeokuta, and he would not be able to compete for another country in international competitions until after the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Ashe’s time in Qatar has reportedly been focused on intensive training, and he recently shared a photo wearing the Qatari team kit. He highlighted the superior support and facilities available, noting that young athletes in Qatar have access to resources and opportunities that are not currently available in Nigeria. His career record remains remarkable: in 2022, he ran a wind-assisted 9.79 seconds in the 100 metres, the fastest time recorded by a Nigerian athlete under any conditions. In subsequent years, he consistently recorded sub-10-second performances, including a 9.94-second run in May 2024, demonstrating exceptional consistency and elite sprinting capability. Ashe also finished as runner-up in the 100 metres at the 2024 NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships, clocking 9.99 seconds in the final.

While the Athletics Federation of Nigeria has yet to provide a definitive statement regarding his status, the sprinter’s potential move highlights ongoing concerns about talent retention and support for elite athletes within Nigeria, raising questions about the need for improved infrastructure and incentives to retain top sporting talent.