World Athletics' Nationality Review Panel has rejected 11 allegiance transfer requests to Turkey, citing what it termed a "coordinated recruitment strategy" by the Turkish government to attract overseas athletes through lucrative contracts. The panel determined that approving these applications would undermine eligibility rules and transfer of allegiance regulations, which are designed to ensure a genuine connection between athletes and the country they represent and to protect the integrity, credibility, and global development of the sport. This decision highlights ongoing concerns about the commercialization and potential exploitation in international athletics.
The rejected requests involve five Kenyan athletes, including former women's marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei, four Jamaican athletes, such as Olympic discus gold medallist Roje Stona and Olympic shot put bronze medallist Rajindra Campbell, along with Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili and Russian heptathlete Sophia Yakushina. These athletes were reportedly targeted by the Turkish government via financial incentives, with the aim of facilitating their allegiance transfers to enable representation of Turkey at future international competitions, including the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. The move reflects a broader trend of nations using economic leverage to bolster their athletic rosters.
World Athletics tightened its transfer of allegiance rules in 2019, with president Sebastian Coe stating that some cases of young athletes switching allegiance were akin to human trafficking. Turkey's team at the 2016 European Championships featured seven athletes from Kenya, two from Jamaica, and others from Ethiopia, Cuba, Ukraine, South Africa, and Azerbaijan. For instance, Ramil Guliyev, who switched allegiance from Azerbaijan to Turkey, won the 200 metres gold at the 2017 World Championships. Similar practices are seen in other countries, such as Qatar, which attracted Egypt-born weightlifter Fares Ibrahim Hassouna to win Qatar's first-ever Olympic gold medal in Tokyo in 2021, and Bahrain, where Winfred Yavi switched from Kenya at age 15 to win Olympic and world gold in the 3,000-metre steeplechase.
World Athletics clarified that its refusal does not prevent the 11 athletes from competing in one-day meetings or road races in a personal or club capacity, or from living and training in Turkey. However, the rejection underscores the governing body's commitment to enforcing regulations that prioritize ethical standards and the long-term health of the sport over short-term competitive gains. This case may prompt further scrutiny of allegiance transfers in global athletics, particularly as financial incentives continue to influence athlete mobility.
Source: www.aljazeera.com