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Woyanne bans Ethiopian athletes from Doha Grand Prix

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ወያኔ የሚሰራውን አሳጥቶታል:: የችጋራም ጥጋበኛ አያድርስ ነው::

DOHA, Qatar (AP) – Ethiopian athletes pulled out of Friday’s Doha Super Grand Prix meet because of political tension between the two countries, organizers said.

«We had prepared everything for them: the visa, the tickets and everything,» said Dahlan Al-Hamad, the president of the Qatar athletics federation. «Unfortunately politics got into sports.

Last month, Ethiopia broke off diplomatic relations with Qatar, saying the energy-rich Gulf state had become a source of instability in the Horn of Africa. It cited Qatar’s relations with Eritrea, which is involved in a long-standing feud with Ethiopia over their border.

Qatar said it was astonished by the diplomatic action and denied the accusations that it is hurting Ethiopia’s security.

Seven Ethiopian athlete were on the starting list of Friday’s meeting, including indoor world champions Deresse Mekonnen in the 1,500 meters and Tariku Bekele in the 3,000.

Al-Hamad said the IAAF world athletics federation would look into the matter.

5 thoughts on “Woyanne bans Ethiopian athletes from Doha Grand Prix

  1. ayite lemotua ye dimete afenecha tashetalech. yebelubeten wokite sebariwoch. chigaram yetegebelete hulle gizeyi tegabe yimeselewal. the time will come they will collect their grasshoppers

  2. Doha competition is money-rich. Our heroic athletes could capitalize on it to make some money. Evil woyane cut that chance, beyond atheletes usual dream of representing and winning for their country, Ethiopia.

  3. The Woyane have the right to ban his own govt. worker from doing business with Doha… but they should not have the right to ban an indivial form going to Doha…

    The sport person should go and take part in Doha under their own name instead of under Ethiopia name because if they don’t do that who is going to pay them their lose?

    If the govt or the people of Ethiopia doesn’t have money to give them for any lose because of the ban then they have no right to ban them… this is like taking your business wihtout paying you those sport person is running is their business in our constituion it say the govt can’t take away your house or business without just pay…

    If the ethiopian people want to ban those sportperson than they should pay up by paying one birr each to those sportperon… as you know most our sportman who are old doesn’t get any support from the govt. hence this is the only time they can make money….

    When the USA did not go to the USSR olompic the didn’t ban the sportmen and women those who wish to go were free to go and take part under their own name… even the today the govt. know it is stupid to ban the China olopmic that is why we should be smart about doing business

  4. it’s in our blood if we hate we hate with passion,and now we hate doha.boycoting is one way of showing your anger and that is what the government just did.

    you hate us first and we hate you back that’s a fair deal,i geuss.

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