The Ethiopian Sports Federation in North America rejects PM Abiy Ahmed to address the tournament

Tigrai Online, May 31, 2018

The Ethiopian Sports Federation in North America – ESFNA politely rejected request by the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed to address the tournament in Dallas, Texas.

The ESFNA announced on its website the denial of the request by the Ethiopian prime minister through the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington, D.C. In its official press release the ESFNA said “After days of deliberations regarding the request from H.E. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed delivered by the Embassy of Ethiopia in Washington, D.C., the ESFNA Board of Directors have voted not to accept the Prime Minister’s desire to address Ethiopians in North America during the Dallas tournament in July, but request it to be at a future tournament.”

The Ethiopian Sports Federation in North America – ESFNA is officially supposed to be un affiliated with any political group, but most Ethiopians associated the group with the Ethiopian opposition or in the anti EPRDF camp.

The new Ethiopian prime minister might have been expecting a warm reception by the group because of his relative popularity, however there are many people who are not impressed about PM Abiy’s actions on both sides of the aisle. Pro EPRDF government groups are concerned about the hasty actions taken by the new Ethiopian prime minister. The anti EPRDF side is not totally happy because according to them the actions of the prime minister are deep or wide enough to “obliterate the TPLF”.

The Ethiopian Sports Federation in North America – ESFNA soccer tournament brings a significant number of Ethiopians who live in the United States of America. Soccer or foootball is one of the most loved game in Ethiopia. Oppositon leaders such as Birtukan Mekessa has addressed the ESFNA soccer tournament and convention before. 

The rejection of ESFNA is a big blow and a bitter pill to swallow to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his close allies especially after he released the convicted criminals to please the extremist groups.

You can read the news release from ESFNA by following the link below, https://esfna.org/esfnas-decision-on-pm-abiy-ahmeds-request/

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