Tag: Olympics

In an update published by Vanguard, Nigeria has lost one of its premier track talents as sprinter Favour Ashe officially transferred his international allegiance to Qatar. Ashe, who is the seventh-fastest Nigerian in history with a personal best of 9.94 seconds, cited poor treatment by Nigerian sports officials and substandard training facilities as the primary drivers for his exit. The athlete revealed he had been training in Qatar for five months and expressed confidence in helping the Qatari 4x100m relay team achieve global dominance.
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has reacted with surprise, with President Tonobok Okowa stating they were not formally notified of the switch. Ashe’s departure highlights a growing trend of “talent drain” in Nigerian sports, where elite athletes seek better welfare packages and world-class infrastructure in Gulf nations. Ashe lamented that his career felt like it was in a “setback” while training on local tracks following his graduation from the United States.
Premium Times and Leadership have also covered the story, with Leadership quoting a source within the sports ministry saying, “This loss is a wake-up call for our athlete management systems.” Premium Times noted that “Ashe is one of many young Nigerian athletes currently training in Qatar, signaling a potential mass exodus.”
Echotitbits take: Ashe’s departure is a massive blow to Nigeria’s 2028 Olympic prospects. While the AFN “investigates,” the reality is that Qatar offers financial security and facilities Nigeria currently cannot match. This story will likely force a heated debate in the National Assembly regarding sports funding and athlete welfare.
Source: The Punch – https://punchng.com/afn-unaware-of-ashes-qatar-switch-begins-probe/?utm_source=auto-read-also&utm_medium=web, February 16, 2026
Photo credit: vanguard