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The good, the bad and the ugly in ESFNA

Posted on , Updated on by Elias Kifle

This week the Ethiopian Sports Federation in North America (ESFNA) marks its 25th anniversary. It should have been a joyous occasion, if it were not marred by the latest scandal — receiving $300,000 in donation from Al Amoudi, a vampire businessman and a key financier of the Woyanne terrorist regime in Ethiopia. The ESFNA many Ethiopians in the Diaspora labored hard to build and make a large Ethiopian sport and cultural institution has now become a tool for the Woyanne dictatorship with the help of Al Amoudi and his henchmen who managed to have a stranglehold on the Federation.

Wholesale condemnation of the Federation will not save the institution, and will also not do justice to some of the innocent, patriotic Ethiopians who are part of the Federation. So it is important to identify the culprits who are trying to turn the federation into a Woyanne tool. Interestingly, the bad guys are very few, but their ugly deeds are terribly harmful. Their power is Al Amoudi’s money.

We will come back to them. But first, let’s briefly review the good deeds the Federation had done since its inception.

ESFNA’s biggest accomplishment and its most important service to Ethiopians in north America is that it has been able to organize the largest annual Ethiopian gathering outside of Ethiopia. Every year, in the fist week of July, thousands of Ethiopians from all walks of life come together to celebrate Ethiopian culture, entertain themselves, reunite with old friends, hold various meetings, do business, build professional networking, and start relationships that lead to marriages.

For a long time, ESFNA has been accused of financial corruption. Most of the money it generates from the annual event disappear into the pockets of few individuals. At this year’s event in Washington DC, for example, the Federation charges $15 per person to enter the stadium every day, and $10 for parking. The over one hundred vendors have each paid $3,000 in advance for concession stands. Corporate sponsors such Western Union and AT&T have paid huge amounts of money (undisclosed to the public) to display their advertisement banners at the stadium. A significant portion of the revenue from these sources disappears.

As a result, ESFNA has not been able to expand in its 25 years existence and come out of its perennial financial difficulties. The annual event grew despite the Federation, not because of it, as over 90 per cent of the activities during the one-week event are organized by independent groups and organizations. Once the Federation announces the city where the annual event would be held, the various groups, including concert promoters, conference organizers, businessmen, and others start their own preparations totally independent of the Federation.

Repeated efforts to clean up the Federation from corruption have had little success. The public and the media have been tolerant of corruption in the ESFNA so far as long as its good deeds outweigh the bad ones.

In recent years, under a restructured leadership, the Federation, has been trying to repair its image by making donations to various causes, such as $20,000 for flood relief in southern Ethiopia, $15,000 for HIV/AIDS prevention programs, and $120,000 for drought victims a few years ago. The Federation also gives free concession stands for non-profit and religious groups to raise funds at the stadium during the one-week soccer tournament.

However, ESFNA as a sports association is not expected to engage in relief efforts. It would serve the community much better by sticking to it mission, doing it professionally, and rooting out the gross corruption in its midst.

But as if the corruption is not bad enough, this year, ESFNA has lend itself to Woyanne’s ugly politics by accepting a large donation from Woyanne money man Al Amoudi.

Al Amoudi’s role in the Tigrean People Liberation Front (Woyanne) is well-known. He is a self-declared Woyanne who has recently said that TPLF is like his mother. Al Amoudi has been a key player in helping solidify Woyanne’s evil grip on Ethiopia. When he is unable to buy critics of the Woyanne regime, Al Amoudi puts them of out business. He has also been trying to silence Ethiopian media abroad. Many Ethiopian web sites and radio program are afraid to criticize him. This web site, whose publisher is sentenced to life in prision in Ethiopia, has recently been threatened with a lawsuit by Al Amoudi’s powerful U.S. lawyers.

For the ESFNA to accept donation from Al Amoudi, a member of the Woyanne crime family that is terrorizing and brutalizing the people of Ethiopia and Somalia, is a cruel betrayal. The following is a sickening message that is posted on ESFNA’s web site:

The entire family of ESFNA, players, coaches, board members and Executive Committee members, would like to say “Thank You” to Dr. Sheikh Mohammed Hussien Alamudi for his generous gift of $300,000 to our organization… Again, thank you and we wish you good health and long life.

The ESFNA officials have shown themselves to be nothing but pigs by wishing good health and long life to one of the biggest Woyanne parasites that are sucking the life blood of our country.

Having said that, EthiopianReview.com has been able to find out that not all ESFNA officials are in the same boat. According to ER’s investigation, the donation by Al Amoudi has been orchestrated by a few individuals inside the ESFNA executive committee and the board of directors, over the strong objection of the majority. Through these few individuals, and using his vast financial resources, Al Amoudi has been able to infiltrate and hijack the ESFNA.

The names that come often during ER’s investigation into the matter are Vice President of ESFN Eyaya Arega, Secretary Samuel Abate, and board member Sebsebe Assefa.

These individuals, along with several of their collaborators, have been wined and dined by Al Amoudi in Sheraton Hotel when they traveled to Addis Ababa. They are using their official positions in ESFNA not to serve the community and the soccer players, but their own business interests. The other members of the executive committee and the board should not escape from being held accountable, even though they are thought to be innocent, since silence is a crime by omission. The rationale for their silence or for no taking strong stand, i.e, the survival of the federation, is not convincing. If they take strong stand and expose the pigs, the community will rally behind them and help them clean up the Federation.

EthiopianReview.com will continue its investigation of ESFNA and will make its findings available to the public. In the mean time, we urge all the soccer players to take a stand. Don’t let yourself be used by Woyanne and its hodam servants.

30 thoughts on “The good, the bad and the ugly in ESFNA”

  2. Ethiopian Review,

    Great job! Continue to expose Woyane’s attempt to join in despite stealing the 2005 Election, murdering innocent children, women and old people in order to cling to power, and being financed by Al Amoudi for this crime against Etihiopia. Expose the crimina Meles & co. and its biggerst cohor, Al Amoudi!

  4. I did see Ayaya and Sebsebe at Sheraton myself. Staying for free for two weeks. All expenses paid for by Mudi and his stooge Abnet.

    ER you have balls, because this ayaya and sebsbe are well known hodams. Yetelek keletamoch araound the soccer filed. They have no shame and would cheat every chance they get on filed and off filed. If they get sued, there will be many who testify against them.

    ER is right the rest are just as guilty for not challnging this hoodlems. They have to retrun the money or they should be sued…or reported to IRS…..

  5. Do you even know who ESFNA’s secretary is?? He is one of the brightest leaders they have. I don’t know who your investigators are, but this is a great travesty to drag the name of the most innocent and unaffiliated official that ESFNA has. It just seems like an attempt to crush yet another Ethiopian organization.

  6. I would rather die than sale out my people. Why would guys leave their wives in the USA and go to the mother land to play with little girls and boys.One day every crime will come out. I’m hoping some good Ethiopians will come out with pictures and videos of the ugly act of the criminals just wait and see.

  7. Secretary of ESFNA doesnt even know who the hell AlAmoudi is. I have known him for 22 years in Columbus Ohio and you guys are trashing the name of one of the truly honest and respectable guys working at ESFNA. I have no idea about the rest of the guys you mentioned, but please retract your baseless comments about the Secretary. Seriously. This type of slander usually goes straight to court. Come on guys show some journalism respect.

  11. I am so mad! thanks Elias i just happen to be one of the victim. I am here now for the turnament plus for some meeting . I went to the studium today and was complainig about it how rip off paying that much money for entrance YAWIM for Monday. I don’t remeber we paid for parking to any place from previous. Shame on them!

  12. I am not clear what the link is between sport and politics? I am of the opinion that everything is not simply politics: politicls and sport are alearly separted in space. There is a very huge solid demarcation between them.
    If it is for the dirty politics, China wouldnot have given the chance to stage the Olympics.
    It is my strong conviction that despite such dirty ethinopolitics,there are many things that unite all Ethiopians. Sport is just one of these.

  13. Dear soccer players, this is not a sporting event, it became the poletical venue for TPLF and his friends when they take money from the pig. As player you have the power, you make the game . We will cheer you our hearts out when the time is right, but not today. Take off your SOCCER cleats for EMEYE ETHIOPIA.Represent!!!!!! ESFNA should Refund money.

  14. Elias God bless you man…you have clearly put the reality behind the hodam ESFNA execetive members that have been cheating our community for the last two decades in a row. I have heared also many Ethiopians are not willing to go the any events organized by HODAM ESFNA memebers, so far I’ve trying to take my own assesment around washington dc and noticed many people are not going including my self, my family members and other freinds. I still urge everyone to keep boycatting all the events by hodam esfna for the rest of the week. NO MERCY FOR WEYANE SYMPETIZERS!!!!!NO MONEY FOR ESFNA!!!!!

  16. Elias,Keep on doing what you are doing, If we Ethiopians have such gutsy individual News man like you, we should have been over the cliff by now, please continue your investigation I’m sure most Ethiopian are marching with you. GOOD WORK !

  17. Can any one tell us who this people are? we have to tell them Ethiopians don’t like what is happening now at ESFNA we all contributed to get it where it is now. They should know they are using our tax money and they are accountable.ESFNA is telling us it is ”
    The Ethiopian Sports Federation in North America (ESFNA) is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization founded in 1984 to promote amateur soccer and cultural events within the Ethiopian community in the North America.” well give back the mula to the poor people of Ethiopia.
    http://esfna.net/esfna/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39&Itemid=119

    http://esfna.net/esfna/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=79

  18. Alll this does not happen at the time or because of Al Amoudi’s gift to ESFNA and this gift is not the first one.
    ESFNA had it’s bads and goods for long time.The corruption,politicizing of events and many more happend thru the jouny of ESFNA,but it serves as one of the best instruments to bring Ethioipins together.They invite forgotten athlets,prominenet Ethiopians regardless of their political stands and so on.
    What we need to do is to help ESFNA become clean and keep the good work,not killing it.

  20. Some want court!!!!The last line of defense for liars, “We will sue you”. The pigs lawyers come handy now for ESFNA. Don’t back down ER, we are behind you!!!!!!This idiots think they are fighting againest individuals(ER), the are waging war against people of Ethiopia and they will be crushed!!!!!!Who ever’s name tainted now, it will come later and will get formal apology from people of Ethiopia, not from ER. ER is doing what people of Ethiopia demands at this critical movement. It is a fight and nothing slows us down. GO ER!!!!!!!if they continued with this nonsense, set up a charity account for your defence expence, we will help.

  22. Thank Elias!

    I really appreciate the hard work you do!

    Keep up the good work and we are all with you!

    Death to Woyanes and Banda Hodam Lebas!

    Ethiopia will prevail!

    The struggle continues!

    Olanna Bayaan.

  23. Do you know that ato Abnet has also used the July 4th tournament while in Virginia, stealing all the money before he joined the Saudi Billioner? Ask anybody around DC, Abnet was one of the crooks of this “Federation”.

  24. ESFNA IS FULL OF HADAM!!!
    THEY WILL GET THEIR PRIZE SOON BY ETHIOPIAN PEOPLE
    I heard an interview by Addis Dimtse radio thier communication head. He said ESFNA is a democratic organisation I have ever seen in my life. On the other hand he said the previous guy is still working with me even after gave up his position. What a fake election!! Is it a sweet place even difficult to leave the position.
    So don’t lie to people. Now every body knows your agenda.You can’t fool us

  28. It may be a big lucrative enterprise. So what? I personally do not care if any Ethiopian makes any profit/living from this so long as I enjoy the program. You know what? No one has forced me to come here. It is just like any Ethiopian restaurant. They prepared the food and invited us to visit them.

    Let us ask ourselves this question: Would we say the same thing if this were organized by any non-Ethiopian entity? So, why being unnecessarily critical of the people we know?

  29. I have noticed that in Addis Ababa children have run out of play grounds and they had to take a long journey to go out to the suburbs to find good soccer fields to play soccer or practice for their games.

    I wish the organization use the money it has received or had collected for a long time to build a modern stadium for the city of Addis Ababa.

    If they could plan a long term schedule and collect money to build a new and modern stadium for Addis Ababa people and of course for the whole of the Ethiopian people it would be a great social achievement and a great legacy for the coming generations.

    When the TPLF group is building a brand new stadium in Mekele, the old stadium in Addis is an eye sore to a visitor and shame to a country. I think the members of this organization and teams all over the World should think very seriously about this proposal. TPLF is planning to build a stadium in
    Mekele for 200, 000, 000 birr. That is a good effort but it is misplaced and very costly. They are putting a horse before the cart. Who deserves a stadium Addis or Mekele at this moment. Why not Awwaassaa.

    I strongly urge men and women who were athletes and players in that stadium for the past decades do something about it. For the short term start with the money from the donation from Alamoudi.

    SD

  30. Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion, but I think we should measure the facts and the fictions that these so called journalists write. I haven’t seen any other for-profit or non-profit organization with the magnitude of ESFNA. ESFNA week long event has been THE major gathering of the Ethiopian community outside Ethiopia. Attempting to change the facet of the organization by some “journalits” is loathsome. I have also noticed the kinds of “articles” posted in this website, and I think they speak for themselves. A journalist should be fair and balanced in reporting the findings. That said, I strongly advise my fellow Ethiopians to just look at the facts before we judge others.

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