World Athletics blocks 11 elite athletes from switching nationality to Turkey
World Athletics has rejected the applications of 11 elite competitors, including Olympic champion Roje Stona, to switch their nationality to Turkey following an investigation into a co-ordinated state recruitment strategy.
The global governing body discovered the requests were driven by lucrative financial packages offered through a fully financed government club.
Officials determined this mass migration was specifically engineered to bolster medal prospects ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The Turkish national delegation struggled at the recent Paris 2024 Games, securing eight overall medals but failing to top the podium in a single event.
Olympic and world record holders denied
Jamaican discus thrower Stona, who claimed gold in the French capital this summer, was among the most prominent figures in the blocked group.
Former women’s marathon world record-holder Brigid Kosgei also featured on the extensive list of those attempting to transfer their allegiance.
The rejected cohort ultimately consisted of five Kenyans, four Jamaicans, one Nigerian, and one Russian athlete.
The remaining track and field stars denied clearance span multiple disciplines:
- Catherine Relin Amanang’ole, Brian Kibor, Ronald Kwemoi and Nelvin Jepkemboi (Kenya)
- Rajindra Campbell, Jaydon Hibbert and Wayne Pinnock (Jamaica)
- Favour Ofili (Nigeria)
- Sophia Yakushina (Russia)
Safeguarding international regulations
A special review panel assessed the submissions collectively after noticing striking similarities across the submitted paperwork.
Allowing the athletes to transfer their nationality would impinge upon and compromise the imperatives underlying the World Athletics eligibility rules and transfer of allegiance regulations.
World Athletics
The organisation stated this state-funded approach fundamentally contradicts the core principles governing international sport.
As a result of the decisions, the athletes are not eligible to represent Turkey in national representative competitions or other relevant international events.
World Athletics
