From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Mon Mar 08 2010 - 12:20:15 EST
http://www.universalsports.com/news/article/newsid=454988.html Ethiopia to
send team to Qatar despite diplomatic strain
The Ethiopian Athletics Federation (EAF) has announced that it will send a
team to the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Doha in March despite
strained diplomatic relations between Ethiopia and Qatar.
By Elshadai Negash, Special to Universal Sports | Posted: Mar 8, 5:50a ET |
Updated: Mar 8, 5:50a ET
The Ethiopian Athletics Federation (EAF) has announced that it will send a
team to the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Doha in March despite
strained diplomatic relations between Ethiopia and Qatar.
Speaking by telephone from Addis Ababa, EAF treasurer Amanuel Abraham said
the federation will send a team to Doha as it as an obligation to compete.
"The Doha competition is organized not by Qatar government but by IAAF," he
said. "As a member of the association, we have an obligation of taking part.
So Ethiopia will take part."
This is despite constrained diplomatic relations between the two countries
which started to deteriorate in 2008 when Ethiopia cut all ties with the
Middle East national saying it had become a source of instability in the
horn of Africa. It cited Qatar's relations with its neighbor Eritrea, a
country which has a well-publicized two-year border conflict with Ethiopia
and a subsequent ten-year border tension.
"Our relationship with Qatar is still closed," said Wahed Belay, public
relations officer at the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "But when it
comes to sport, it is up to the Ministry of youth and sport and they aren't
going to interfere."
Although the EAF have already submitted final entry lists to the
International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), concerns remain
over the issuance of visas for the delegates of Ethiopian team and their
security in Qatar.
"We have had no indication from the Ethiopian Federation that they are
experiencing difficulties with visas," said IAAF Spokesman Nick Davis. "They
have submitted preliminary entries but not yet final entries. We have had no
indication that they will not submit final entries."
Ethiopia has named four defending world indoor champions- Meseret Defar
(women's 3000m), Tariku Bekele (men's 3000m), Gelete Burka (women's 1500m),
and Derese Mekonnen (men's 1500m)- in a star-studded squad this week.
Defar, who is aiming for a record fourth consecutive title over the 3000m,
said she would be unhappy to miss the biennial championships. "I will very
sad if Ethiopia won't take part on Doha competition," she said. "The
competition is international and very well known. I like it so much and will
be unhappy if we don't participate."
It is not the first time Ethiopia has had to rethink the participation of
its athletes in a competition held in Doha. Seven Ethiopian athletes
including Mekonnen and Bekele withdrew from the Doha IAAF Super Grand Prix
meet in May 2008 following advice from the EAF about the diplomatic tensions
with Qatar.
*--Tadele Assefa contributed to this report*
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