Checkout how Nigerian athletes represented other countries in competitive sports (photos)

    The Olympic Charter has now made a statement in a bid to curb the trend to reduce how athletes cross from one nationality to another.

The Olympic body stated that if an athlete want to compete for a different nation, it has to be three years after they last competed for their country of origin.

The nationality movement is common among Nigeria athletes as they are scatter around the world to represent countries who do not really have pedigree in the sport.

In the 2016 Rio Olympics, Middle East nation Bahrain came into the competition with 31 contingents and six of them were Nigerians.

One way or another, these athletes have competed back home in tournaments and for financial reasons, they wisely switched allegiance to the oil-rich nation.
Here are the six Nigerian-born athletes who have represented Bahrain

1. Oluwakemi Adekoya

A perfect example is Nigerian-born Bahrain star athlete Adekoya who competes in the 400m flat and 400m hurdles. She shocked the world in the 2014 Doha Diamond League not because she won the 400m hurdles in a world-leading time on her debut appearance in the Red and White colors of Bahrain.

Adekoya's time is faster than any Nigerian female quartermiler who competed at the Olympics in Rio.

2. Abbas Abubakar Abbas

Another Nigeria-born Bahrain athlete Abbas finished second behind Orukpe Erayokan at the National Sports Festival in 2012 before switching allegiance to compete for Bahrain a month later.

"Please Nigeria try to help some athletes.... No Nigerian athlete will beat me, even if I'm not in shape," Abbas said after moving to the Asian nation.

He participated in 2013 World Junior Championship and 2014 World Junior in the 400m where he finished third in the latter meet.

3. Edidiong Ofonime Odiong

Edidiong started competing internationally for Bahrain in 2013. She was at IAAF World Junior Championships in Poland the same year before the Rio Games.

Edidiong had previously represented Nigeria at the African Youth Championship in 2013 where she converted to the 400m.

4. Iman Essa Jasim

The Cross River state born was formerly known as Endurance Essien Udoh before changing her name to Iman Essa Jasim.

The 19-year-old never made the Nigerian team but nationalized to become a Bahrain citizen and she qualified to compete at the Rio Olympics after running a time of 11.26s in 100m.

5. Salwa Eid Naser

Salwa's case was different as she was born Nigeria to a Nigerian mum and Bahraini dad but has represented the oil rich nation all her life.

6. Salem Eid Yaqoob

A specialist in the 200m, Salem changed his nationality to Bahrain. His time of 20.34s is the 53rd best time in the world and the Nigerian closest to him is ranked 104th with a time of 20.47s