World Athletics blocks 11 athlete transfer requests to Turkiye
Summary
World Athletics has rejected 11 requests from athletes to change their national allegiance to Turkiye. The decision comes after finding that the Turkish government used an organized plan to recruit foreign athletes with high-paying contracts to compete for Turkiye in future international events.Key Facts
- Eleven athletes from Kenya, Jamaica, Nigeria, and Russia asked to switch their nationality to represent Turkiye.
- World Athletics called this a "coordinated recruitment strategy" by the Turkish government through a state-funded sports club.
- The goal was to help these athletes compete for Turkiye in competitions like the 2028 Olympic Games.
- World Athletics has strict rules to make sure athletes have real connections to the countries they represent.
- The rules were made tougher in 2019 to prevent athletes from switching countries mainly for money.
- Turkiye’s past teams have included many athletes originally from other countries.
- Other countries, like Qatar and Bahrain, have also financially attracted athletes born elsewhere.
- The rejected athletes can still compete in races as individuals or with clubs, and train in Turkiye if they wish.
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