By sportsnewsarena correspondent
Nov 06, 2016
Long distance legend Haile
Gebrselassie was on Saturday elected the new President of the Ethiopian
Athletics Federation in Addis Ababa.
The double Olympic champion
in the 5000 and 10000m secured 9 of the 15 votes and immediately
promised to work on a great future for Ethiopian Athletics.
“I
feel so honoured to be elected president of the Ethiopian Athletics
Federation. I will work on a great future for Ethiopian athletics,” said
the 43-year old after his election.
He will be deputised by Dr
Bezabih Wolde. The former world marathon record holder takes over from
long-serving president Bisrat Gashawtena. Her deputy Nega
Gebre-Egziabher also failed to recapture his seat.
“I am very
honoured that they trust me in this position. I am looking forward to
working together with all people involved in the EAF to work on a great
future for Ethiopian athletics,” he said after his election.
Double
Olympic silver medallist Sileshi Sihine was elected the Ethiopian
athletes’ leader and will be assisted by Meseret Defar, Olympic gold
winner in London and Athens.
Other members of the Ethiopian
Athletics Federation include Dr Gatlok who will represent Gambella
Region, athlete Gebreegzabher Gebremariam who will represent the Tigray
region, Ato Farid Mohamed who will sit as the delegate from the Harari
region.
Ato Belayneh Kinde was voted as the area representative
from Amhara region, Ato Admassu Sajin was voted as the member from South
region.
Gebrselassie’s march to the Ethiopian presidency
gained momentum in July when he led a protest by local runners to the
Federation office, incensed by the Rio marathon selection process.
The
runners argued the selection fro Rio was biased, with the legendary
runner particularly concerned with the exclusion of the 2016 Berlin
marathon champion Kenenisa Bekele.
Since announcing his
retirement earlier in the year the gold medal winner from Atlanta and
Sydney has focussed on growing his businesses across the horn African
nation.
The long distance track and road runner is considered one
of the richest men in Ethiopia, a one party state, which has recently
been experiencing a new round of unrest with thousands of campaigners
including leading athletes, calling for a regime change.
Gebrselassie, who won nine marathon has interests in real estate, gold mining, car dealership, coffee farming among others.
He also organises the largest annual 5 and 10km runs in his country dubbed the Great Ethiopian run.
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