Ethiopian marathon runner Feyisa Lilesa who made a protest gesture against government violence versus members of his tribe at last month’s Rio Olympics told reporters in Washington on Tuesday that he wants to stay in the USA.
Feyisa Lilesa held his arms over his head, wrists crossed, as he finished second in the Olympic marathon, a gesture that he described as being a sign of support for members of his Oromo tribe who have been protesting government plans to reallocate farmland. The protests have been met with violent police action, sparking the country’s worst unrest in more than a decade, reports Reuters.
“At the moment, the Ethiopian government is killing and imprisoning its own people,” Lilesa told a news conference. “If this situation continues as is, I have no doubt Ethiopia is staring at the abyss.”
Ethiopian officials were not immediately available to comment on Lilesa’s claims.
After his silver medal performance, Lilesa said he was concerned that he would not be safe if he returned home after making the protest gesture, though Ethiopian officials said they were ready to welcome him home.
He has since entered the United States on a temporary visa and is considering settling in Arizona or New Mexico, where he has friends, Lilesa told reporters.
But he rejected the idea of changing his nationality, or competing under another nation’s flag.
