Ethiopian Olympic Committee failed our athletes and country :: Ethiopian Review
By ER reader
What a beautiful joy to see our athletes wining their race and representing our Ethiopia in the international venues such as Beijing where the world is focusing for the last two weeks, their effort s presented to the world the other side of our Ethiopia than the poverty, famine or hunger (though Woyanne is playing games with these words).
Like most of Ethiopians, I waited for hours to see our athletes at the opening ceremony, and the moment came but my long wait was in vain. Instead I saw unknown individuals, except Miruts Yifter holding the flag, representing Ethiopia in one of the best event ever held and watched by billions of people around the world. I said where is Haile, Tirunesh, Kenenisa, Meseret, Berhane, Gete or even Derartu or Fatuma?
Then I started to look into why our athletes were not part on the opening ceremony, and the first reason which came is shortage of budget! The Ethiopian government [Woyanne] has not enough money to bring the athletes to the Olympic venue on time.
This trigger a question: who will cover then the expense of the persons we saw in the opening ceremony (officials of the Woyanne-organized millennium celebration were part of it though). And then I heard that the Ethiopian National Olympic Committee President, Wzr. Dagmawit Girmay, and some government officials were attending the whole Olympic games. I said to myself this is normal as they have some work to do there. But all of them were with their families! For example Wzr. Dagmawit Girmay was with her husband and children attending the Olympic events for two weeks! Who covered their expenses? The government! She was NOT the only one who brought her family over there. Many of the government officials have attended the Olympic Games with their families, all expenses covered by the Government!
But there was not sufficient fund to bring our athletes earlier to Beijing and get them used to the weather and prepare them for their race!
If this was done, I am sure that the women Marathon race as well as Meseret Defarʼs result would have been much better (Meseret flew to Beijing only two days earlier for the 5000m race).
What a shame! And I am sure they donʼt care!
But as usual, our athletes made history despite all the odds. We are very proud of them!
By ER reader
What a beautiful joy to see our athletes wining their race and representing our Ethiopia in the international venues such as Beijing where the world is focusing for the last two weeks, their effort s presented to the world the other side of our Ethiopia than the poverty, famine or hunger (though Woyanne is playing games with these words).
Like most of Ethiopians, I waited for hours to see our athletes at the opening ceremony, and the moment came but my long wait was in vain. Instead I saw unknown individuals, except Miruts Yifter holding the flag, representing Ethiopia in one of the best event ever held and watched by billions of people around the world. I said where is Haile, Tirunesh, Kenenisa, Meseret, Berhane, Gete or even Derartu or Fatuma?
Then I started to look into why our athletes were not part on the opening ceremony, and the first reason which came is shortage of budget! The Ethiopian government [Woyanne] has not enough money to bring the athletes to the Olympic venue on time.
This trigger a question: who will cover then the expense of the persons we saw in the opening ceremony (officials of the Woyanne-organized millennium celebration were part of it though). And then I heard that the Ethiopian National Olympic Committee President, Wzr. Dagmawit Girmay, and some government officials were attending the whole Olympic games. I said to myself this is normal as they have some work to do there. But all of them were with their families! For example Wzr. Dagmawit Girmay was with her husband and children attending the Olympic events for two weeks! Who covered their expenses? The government! She was NOT the only one who brought her family over there. Many of the government officials have attended the Olympic Games with their families, all expenses covered by the Government!
But there was not sufficient fund to bring our athletes earlier to Beijing and get them used to the weather and prepare them for their race!
If this was done, I am sure that the women Marathon race as well as Meseret Defarʼs result would have been much better (Meseret flew to Beijing only two days earlier for the 5000m race).
What a shame! And I am sure they donʼt care!
But as usual, our athletes made history despite all the odds. We are very proud of them!
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