World Athletics turns down 11 switches to Turkey over recruitment drive
Indian Express·2h ago·Neutral
What Happened
World Athletics rejected eleven allegiance transfer requests to Turkey, citing coordinated government recruitment. The applicants included Kenyan marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei, Jamaican Olympic gold medallist Roje Stona, and athletes from Nigeria and Russia. World Athletics stated Turkey's government-backed club offered lucrative contracts to attract overseas athletes. The panel found approvals would compromise sport integrity and eligibility rules. Turkey's strategy aimed to enable athlete representation at Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
Key Entities
World AthleticsTurkeyBrigid KosgeiRoje StonaKenyaJamaicaWorld Athletics Nationality Review PanelLos Angeles 2028 Olympics