British fencer Folayemi Akinyosoye has announced his decision to switch allegiance to Nigeria, stepping away from his representation of Great Britain.
Akinyosoye, a notable figure in British junior fencing for the past six years, made this move as fencing is gaining traction in Nigeria. His request to transfer was approved by British Fencing, which waived the usual three-year non-compete period.
“On behalf of British Fencing, I am writing to confirm that we have no objection to the athlete (Folayemi Akinyosoye) changing their FIE nationality and that we waive any non-compete period,” British Fencing CEO Georgina Usher stated in an acceptance letter dated August 1, 2024.
The 20-year-old expressed his enthusiasm for the switch, especially with Nigeria’s prospects for competing at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. “I want to represent Nigeria because of my personal connections to the country, where my family roots lie. I have a desire to contribute to the sport’s development, which is still in its early stages in Nigeria. I also hope that by representing Nigeria, I can create a unique platform to promote sabre fencing and inspire other young Nigerians to engage with the sport,” Akinyosoye shared through Nigeria Fencing Media.
“I am very excited to represent Nigeria and look forward to collaborating with the Nigerian Fencing Federation to elevate my fencing skills,” he added.
Adeyinka Samuel, President of the Nigeria Fencing Federation, welcomed Akinyosoye’s decision, emphasising its positive implications for the sport’s growth in Nigeria.
“We are thrilled that the efforts we have made over the past few years are yielding positive results, as evidenced by Akinyosoye’s decision to compete for Nigeria. This demonstrates that we are making progress in enhancing the sport, and we aspire to build a strong team that will compete for places at the 2028 Olympic Games. We can’t wait to see him represent Nigeria in international competitions and engage with the existing team members,” Samuel remarked.
