Ethiopia boycotts Qatar Grand Prix

DOHA • Ethiopian athletes will not be participating in the Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix today, the Qatar Association of Athletic Federation (QAAF) announced. “Ethiopian athletes will not be taking part in Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix,” Dahlan Al Hamad, Qatar Association of Athletic Federation’s President, said yesterday.

“We were expecting the participation of nine athletes from Ethiopia. Unfortunately politics has got in the way of sports and Ethiopian government has stopped them from coming here,” Dahlan added. “We had sent them air tickets and visa. But they have been stopped by their government. I would like to wish them good luck for their future events and also Beijing Olympics,” Dahlan, who is also a Vice President of IAAF, said.