Emmanuel Bamidele Switches Allegiance From Nigeria To UAE Ahead Of Diamond League Finale

Nigerian sprinter Emmanuel Bamidele has decided to switch his allegiance from Nigeria to the UAE, as he is now listed as eligible to compete for the UAE governing body. Bamidele will make his debut race under the UAE flag at the Brussels Diamond League finale in the men's 400m invitational event.

His career has been tumultuous, with a storming victory at the Nigerian Commonwealth Games trial in 2018, followed by missing the Gold Coast Games and then racing for Qatar in 2019. Despite some inconsistency in his recent form, Bamidele has shown flashes of brilliance, including a second-place finish at the Stockholm Diamond League.

This marks the third chapter in his international journey, having previously represented Nigeria and Qatar. This switch comes at a time when another Nigerian sprint star, Favour Ofili, has opted to compete for Turkey.