What began as a quiet shift in athlete representation has now become a matter of national significance for Jamaica. With four of its most promising field athletes migrating to Turkey in rapid succession, the Jamaican track and field authorities are preparing to issue a formal protest to World Athletics. Citing both ethical and structural concerns, the Jamaican Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) has announced it will bring the matter before the sport’s highest international forum later this year.
The decision comes amid mounting frustration within Jamaica’s athletics leadership following the departure of Olympic and world-class competitors to represent Turkey. First, it was discus gold medalist Roje Stona and shot put bronze medalist Rajindra Campbell. Their exits raised eyebrows. But what followed alarmed the federation further. The defection of Olympic long jump silver medalist Wayne Pinnock and triple jump prodigy Jaydon Hibbert, both widely regarded as generational talents. The scale and speed of these moves have convinced the JAAA that intervention is now unavoidable.
Speaking to Television Jamaica, senior officials of the JAAA confirmed that a formal submission is being prepared for the upcoming World Athletics Congress in Tokyo. “It will be raised,” an official said. “We are putting it in black and white, and we will be sending it to World Athletics to be heard at the Congress. And I will be taking a written copy to the Congress in Tokyo, Japan. World Athletics needs to look at the situation critically to see exactly what is happening and the fact that it can destroy the sport,” he further added. These remarks reflected not only procedural intent but an undercurrent of urgency, with the official characterizing the wave of transfers as a structural threat to competitive balance and athlete development.
At present, the JAAA has not received formal communication either from the athletes in question or from the Turkish federation regarding the switch. Nonetheless, the organization has stated that it will proceed in accordance with established World Athletics procedures. The matter is not simply administrative; it is one of principle, according to those involved. “Jamaica’s voice will be heard,” the JAAA official insisted, adding that the motion is likely to gain support from other national federations who share similar concerns. “We surely can’t be happy,” the spokesperson continued. “Four talented young athletes — that’s like a brain drain in teaching.”
First Vice President of the JAAA, Ian Forbes, described the situation in more severe terms. Forbes suggested that Turkey’s actions amount to systematic recruitment and that such behavior undermines both national development programs and the competitive integrity of the sport. With Jamaica poised to present its case on the world stage, the controversy has exposed broader questions about fairness, regulation, and the obligations of national federations within the global sporting community. Meanwhile, Jamaica was not the nation to watch its athletes switch allegiance . Nigeria too, got the bitter taste of a similar medicine via Favour Ofili.
Favour Ofili joins hands with Turkey following horrible Paris mess up
Nigerian sprint standout Favour Ofili has stunned the athletics world by switching her national allegiance to Turkey, just months before the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. The decision, made official on May 31, came after what she described as repeated frustrations with the Nigerian Athletics Federation. The timing of the move, less than 100 days out from one of track and field’s biggest stages, has turned heads. Not just for its swiftness, but for what it reveals about growing athlete discontent within national systems.
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Ofili, 22, reportedly outlined her grievances in a formal submission to the Athletics Integrity Unit. The track and field star cited two major failings by the AFN. The first: missing the Tokyo Olympics after the federation failed to confirm her doping control documentation. The second: being shut out of the 100m at the Paris Games due to an administrative error. She did compete in the 200m and finished sixth in the final, but that wasn’t enough to quiet the sting. According to Jamaican journalist Kayon Raynor, who broke the story, Ofili stressed that her decision to compete for Turkey had “nothing to do with money.”
The switch comes during what should be a high point in her career. In May, Ofili smashed the 150m world best with a 15.85-second dash in Atlanta, rewriting a mark held by Olympic gold medalist Shaunae Miller-Uibo. With Turkey, she remains eligible for the Tokyo World Championships this September. Now, instead of wearing green and white, she’ll step onto the track in a different uniform. But carrying the same speed, and maybe a little more fire.
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