Skip to content

Few people attend the soccer tournament in DC

Posted on , Updated on by Elias Kifle

About 200 people went to the RFK Stadium in Washington DC on Monday to watch the soccer tournament that is organized by the Ethiopian Sports Federation in North America (ESFNA).

The Stadium, that has a capacity to accommodate 26,000 spectators, looked empty through out the day.


Less than 10,000 people attended the ESFNA opening event
in RFK Stadium on June 29, 2008

Even at the opening ceremony yesterday, according to various reports, less than 1/3 of the stadium was filled. That is less than 10,000 people in a city where over 150,000 Ethiopians reside. In previous years, those who come form other cities alone exceed that number.

The extremely law turn out is no doubt the result of the anger caused by the ESFNA official to associate the sporting event with the notorious Woyanne businessman, Ato Al Amoudi.

The Ethiopian community is boycotting the events, such as the soccer matches at the stadium, that are spondered by the Federation. On the other hand, Ethiopian restaurants in the Washington DC are doing well as the thousands of visitors and their local hosts are going out to dine and enjoy themselves.

26 thoughts on “Few people attend the soccer tournament in DC”

  5. I am ashamed of the high officials of the ESFNA. They did it deliberately not only to fill their pocket but also to vanish the ESFNA. Because Woyane and Alamudi are not interested to see Ethiopians gathering together and share ideas for the good will of their country. That is why woyane is using these bandas to eradicate ESFNA for ever. So please stand up for your write and take a major action on those backbiters of Ethiopian in Diaspora.

    I am eager to see new dedicated ESFNA board and executive members.

    Long live ESNFA not Alamudi.

  8. People back home will be proud of you, proud of us. We can’t be fooled anymore. All Ethiopians are in one page now, the ball is rolling. Hope, the Sheik will give us a little bit of our pride back now. We showed you pig, money cant buy everything, and we will show you more until you can’t take it and renounce you are Ethiopian.
    This pig puked on our event,it could been a spectacle show. but we made very important point and sending this important message back home is priceless. We all have to sacrifice a little. Keep the FiGHT!!!!!
    Regards,

  9. Week of July 1st Slogan,

    1. Continue to Boycatt all ESFNA events!!!!
    2. Shame on ESFNA!!!!!
    3. Death to all weyane supporters and sympetizers!!!!!

  10. THE FIRST TIME AND THE LAST TIME I WENT TO THE SOCCER TOURNAMENT WAS IN LOS ANGELES. TWO THINGS WAS REALLY DISTURBING ME AT THAT TIME WAS THAT (1) THE PRICE OF THE INTERANCE WAS $15 OR $20 STILL TOO HIGH, FOR STUDENTS TO ATTEND EVERY SINGLE DAY. THE 2ND THING WHAT REALLY DISTURBING ME THE MOST WAS THAT THE CASHER PEOPLE WAS NOT EVEN ETHIOPIAN. MAYBE SINCE ITS MY FRIST TIME AT THAT TIME TO ATTEND THE TOURNAMENT I WAS EXPECTED TO SEE HABESHA PERSON TO BE IN CHARGED AT THE CASHERI AM NOT AGAINST ANYTHING HOWEVER WHY NOT ASK THE FELLOW ETHIOPIAN TO VOLUNTEER TO BE A CASHER AND INSTEAND OF WASTING THESE MONEY THEY COULD HAVE GIVING THAT MONEY TO THE POOR PEOPLE BACK IN ETHIOPIA OR HERE WHO REALLY NEED IT.
    SHAME ON THEM! PEOPLE IF YOU WENT THERE TO MEET A PERSON DON’T GO INSIDE JUST STAY OUT SIDE AND SAVE $20 WHY PAY FOR NOTHING????

  11. Dear Fellowmen/women,

    That is the consequence of playing a very dirty game by undermining the very intelligence of the people.

    Beleive or not, there is no way to cheat people anywhere and any time.

  12. The right thing to do for ESFNA at this time is to donate the blood money to charity and apologies to the public that it has made a mistake and a disservices to the Diaspora Ethiopians. The leadership also should unequivocally apologize and pledge not to repeat such a stupid mistake in the future.

  13. I personaly do not support ESFNA get any to be assocated with that selfish weyane monger Al Mudin( Bin Ladin) However boycotting the events, I can not agree specially paying enterace, as we all know most peopel paying fee not for the game instead to met people(love ones) at the vicinity plus those who pay ($1500-$2000) for vending will suffer big time if we boycott the event. What I would say to boycott the ESFNA sponserd evnt folloing the closing day like different party. That is the one we should concentrate for. If we boycott the stadium one way or the other they are paid off from the vendors you can do the math They already have about 63 tents times $1500 minumem that is about $94500. The ESFNA would not feel the pinch if we boycott the stadium, the most hurt is the people who pay for the vending. Please let us reconsider the plan.
    Thank you all.

  15. Elias
    Thank you for this news which I was expecting. So the attending people may be some are sympathizers of the woyanne thugs/ESFNA or they didn’t listen what has happened or they come from distant places and too late to return back and/or to demonestrate their opposition to the hoddams and most of all to oppose the dispicable woyanne thugs/ESFNA anyways and show their solidarity to our people right there. Shame on you ESFNA! here you go the message. got it?

  16. The ESNA people don`t seem to have any vision. They argue that ESNA is non-political organization but they fail to see that recieving money from ardent woyane suppter is polytics by itself.

  18. I agree with most of you regarding the current government of Ethiopia or Africa in general. Any presidnet who keeps electing himself is a dictator. Mugabe is a good example. The only way he will give up power is when he is dead. The same goes with our self elected Meles. I totally disagree with the soccer organizers for charging too much at the gate, and plus you have to pay $12.00 for parking. But the way to fight against dictatarship is not by opposing the person who donated big money for this event. Remember any one can donate x amount of money to any occasion. This is also democracy. We need to educate our selves and our people to fight for their right.

  19. commenter #18 says ” … the way to fight against dictatarship is not by opposing the person who donated big money for this event. Remember any one can donate x amount of money to any occasion. This is also democracy. We need to educate our selves and our people to fight for their right.”

    Not so! Contributors and the source of their contributions are closely scrutinized in democracy. Why is this person contributing to ESFNA? What kind of influence is he buying with it? We know this person is hiring Washington Lobbyists to undermine efforts of Ethiopian’s, especially in Diaspora, to bring about democratic change and to get rid of the Meles regime.

    I say ESFNA give the money to charity that work to feed the hungry and dying Ethiopians back home. Of all places here in the US, any Ethiopian, sport, cultural or political organization in the US should not take money from someone who loot the country and support the repression of Ethiopians. Shame on ESFNA!! Give the money to charity to feed the dying and hungry Ethiopians!!

  21. It is great that people abadoned ESFNA sposored events, but still get togather. After all, we don’t want to give them what they want-see us divided without unity.

    Have fun!!!!

  22. All these years I was wondering what the ESNA do with the money they get every year. As a non profit organizaion, why is’t the balance sheet available to the public just like others who are registered in the US. With all the money they collect why didn’t they help Ethiopian oganization across the state so they can help the sick and the homeless. why not send some money to Ethiopia to help the poors? Why not sponsor scholarship for students back home and in the US? after all the money they are collecting belongs to fellow ethiopians. Maybe we sould look into the the board members living standerd. How they are living VS their income? How come most of them refuse to step down since ESNA startsed? maybe they are trying to be Mogabe of ethiopian organization. One way to fight their habit of stealing public money in by boycotting their games.

  23. Which part of influence buying you guys don’t understand. The guy is shelling this much money for nothing? Think again, it is much cheaper than hiring a big low firm to lobby on his behalf. True democracy is not on his interest,
    because he wont be getting what he is getting now for free.Any one giving you that much money would wont something in return.

  24. This article is nonsense. There was no boycott. the low turn out had nothing to do with anything other than the fact it was monday and most people didn’t come into town until the end of the week. It is biased fictitious stories like this that diminish your credibility.

  25. Let me start by saying, where’s the positive criticism:

    This organization managed to get all Ethiopians from around the world together for 25 years. 25 years is not something anyone can dismiss that easily. We as Ethiopians should be able to see the good in this federation.

    For the record, the stadium was never empty. On July 4 the number of people in the stadium was over 37,000. That should speak for the success of the federation.

    Let me pose a question for most of you guys, as concerned citizens what are the things you are doing?

    This is a deep problem we should work on changing as a community:
    – Always complain when someone have the heart to try and do some good.
    **people it’s easy to seat on the sidelines and talk, actually doing some thing and making a difference requires compassion.

    My criticism is rather simple on the ESFNA:
    – It would be nice if they had enough soccer balls in the field instead of waiting for someone bring the balls when they are out of play.
    – There timing was horrible.

    Thanks,

Leave a Reply