Ethiopia to send track 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.

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