By KPC Sports Reporter
World Athletics has refused transfer requests from 11 athletes worldwide, including five Kenyans.
The Kenyans affected are Brigid Kosgei, Ronald Kwemoi, Catherine Relin, Brian Kibor, and Jepkemboi Nelvin.
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They were joined by Jamaican stars Rajindra Campbell, Jaydon Hibbert, Wayne Pinnock, and Rojé Stona, Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili, and Russian athlete Sophia Yakushina.
The Nationality Review Panel said the applications were part of a “coordinated recruitment strategy led by the Türkiye government” through a state‑financed club.
“Approval of these applications would compromise the imperatives underlying eligibility rules,” the panel declared.
The ruling prevents the athletes from representing Türkiye at major events, including the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, though they may still train or compete in Türkiye at club level.
Kosgei, a former London Marathon champion, and Kwemoi, once Kenya’s 1500m prodigy, had been linked to lucrative contracts abroad.
Jamaican jumpers Hibbert and Pinnock, both rising stars, were also eyeing new opportunities.
“These principles safeguard the credibility of international competition and encourage federations to invest in domestic talent,” World Athletics emphasized.
