Exiled Ethiopian Olympic protest runner reunites with family News

Navigation: Home / News / Athletics / Exiled Ethiopian Olympic protest runner reunites with family

Exiled Ethiopian Olympic protest runner reunites with family

By Daily Sports on February 16, 2017

Ethiopian runner Feyisa Lilesa, famous for his protest at the Rio Olympics, has been reunited with his family for the first time since going into exile.

He crossed his wrists over his head as he took silver in the marathon in a gesture against the Ethiopian government's treatment of Oromo people.

Afterwards he refused to go home, saying his life might be in danger.

Now in the US, it is the first time he has seen his wife and two young children for at least six months.

He told the Associated Press news agency that the decision to leave his family behind had been a necessary risk.

“Putting them potentially in harm's way was a good lesson for a lot of people that you need to sacrifice in order for you to win some concessions and change your situation,” he said.

“In that sense, it inspires people to fight for their rights and resist the government in Ethiopia.”

In September the athlete left Brazil for the US, where he is staying on a special skills visa.

His family arrived with visas as well, AP reports.

Mr Feyisa became the first Ethiopian to finish in the top two of a men’s Olympics marathon since 2000, claiming silver behind Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge.

After his political protest, Ethiopian officials denied he was in danger, saying he would be welcomed home from Rio as a hero.

At the time, Mr Feyisa said he had relatives who were in prison and if they talked about democratic rights they would be killed.

He is from Oromia, home to most of Ethiopia's 35 million Oromo people, the country's largest ethnic group.

A wave of anti-government protests began in the region in November 2015 with people complaining about social and political marginalisation.

During the protests and police crackdowns, they used the symbol of crossing their arms above their heads to mark their defiance.

In October, a six-month state of emergency was imposed in Ethiopia to deal with the unprecedented anti-government unrest. (BBC)

•Photo shows Ethiopian runner Feyisa Lilesa during his famous protest at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Source Daily Sports

Posted February 16, 2017

Most Read

Rangers International going, going . . . (55,599 views)

Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,769 views)

Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,770 views)

Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,363 views)

Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (44,361 views)

Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (44,347 views)

Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (44,162 views)

NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,710 views)

Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,810 views)

Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,428 views)

Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,861 views)

John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (39,292 views)

News Athletics (641) Basketball (368) Boxing (1204) Columnists (740) Euro Soccer Update (15482) Fans Assembly (6) From the Grassroots (69) Golf (150) Interviews (18) Live Commentary (10) News (10294) NPL Glo Premier League (1316) People and Places (31) Readers Parliament (10) Tennis (1096)