By outdoor-nature-child.com In a stunning development, former British fencer Folayemi Akinyosoye has made the momentous decision to represent Nigeria, shifting his allegiance from Great Britain. Over the past six years, Akinyosoye has been a key player in British junior fencing, and his transition comes at a time when interest in fencing is burgeoning in Nigeria.
On August 1, 2024, Akinyosoye received an acceptance letter from Georgina Usher, the CEO of British Fencing, which waived the standard three-year non-compete period usually required for athletes wishing to change their national affiliation. The letter stated, “In accordance with FIE regulations 1.4.3, this letter is from the former federation (Great Britain) accepting the transfer request and agreeing to waive the 3-year non-compete period.” It went on to confirm that “On behalf of British Fencing, I write to confirm that British Fencing has no objection to the athlete (Folayemi Akinyosoye) changing their FIE nationality and that we waive any non-compete period.”
“I’m thrilled about this new chapter,” the 20-year-old fencer expressed, reflecting on his decision. “I want to represent Nigeria because of my strong personal ties; it’s where my family roots are. I have a deep desire to help develop the sport further, especially considering it’s still in its infancy in Nigeria. My hope is that by representing Nigeria, I can provide a unique platform to promote Sabre fencing and inspire other young Nigerians to engage with the sport.” He added, “I’m really looking forward to working with the Nigerian fencing federation to take my skills to the next level.”
Akinyosoye also voiced optimism regarding Nigeria’s potential to compete in the 2028 Olympic Games. Adeyinka Samuel, President of the Nigeria Fencing Federation, welcomed Akinyosoye’s decision and stressed its positive implications for the sport’s growth in the country.
“We are ecstatic that our efforts over the past few years to grow the sport are paying off with Akinyosoye’s choice to fence for Nigeria. This shows that we are heading in the right direction in improving the future of fencing in our nation. We’re excited to build a strong team that can compete in the 2028 Olympic Games and can’t wait to see him represent Nigeria on the international stage and mesh with the rest of the team,” Samuel noted.