By Rami Hipsh, Haaretz.com
Israeli marathon runner Haile Satain, who is set to represent Israel in the Beijing Olympics, has been arrested in Ethiopia for unknown reasons.
The Ethiopian Athletics Association recently informed its Israeli counterpart that the runner was arrested at his training camp and transferred to the capital, Addis Ababa.
"The Israeli Athletics Association will do everything in its power to get Satain out of prison soon and return to his training routine so that he will be in good shape for the Olympics," said Shlomo Ben Gal, the association's chairman.
Satain underwent a similar ordeal half a year ago when he was training in Ethiopia ahead of the Tiberias marathon. He was incarcerated after an acquaintance complained that he owed him money, and was released only after the Foreign Ministry intervened.
On that occasion, Satain said he did not eat or sleep during the three days he was held in custody. Despite the ordeal, the runner arrived in Israel on the morning of the Tiberias marathon and participated in the event, but had to quit after the 35th kilometer.
In 2006, Satain came first place in the Tiberias Marathon when he completed his run in an hour, five minutes and six seconds.
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Assuming that he is an Israeli and not an Ethiopian, it is Israel's responsibility to handle the situation whether it is legit or not. This matter should not interest Ethiopians.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:10 pm
It is obivious that Haile Setegn is an Ethiopian name whichever way you look at it.
July 23rd, 2008 at 9:02 am
The reason weyane detained him is that Haile might have discussed some issues against the weyane government. The only time weyane will arrest you that if weyane suspects that your view is diffrent from weyane. But one thing weyane didnt understand is that it is weyane's view differs not only from ethiopians but also from all human being, since weyane permanent objective is against humanity at all.
Death to weyane members and supporters!!!!
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:12 am
People! People! People!
Why do you forget that there are over 150,000 Ethiopian Jews in Israel. Haile is one of them. He is training in Ethiopia for the Bejing marathone because the climate and topography in Ethiopia is ideal for such training.
Please do not argue on trivial things and waste your time. We should all be debating important issues that affect our country. In particular we should all discuss on various options to get rid of the cancer - Woyane.
July 23rd, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Israel has nolegalright to send it's citizen and give trainingh on ethiopia's soil. We do not have any thing in common any more with the jewish's state after they had arrested 78 ethiopians for more than six years and deported them for the simple reason they were an aslyum seekers in Israel. It WAS GOOD haile did not eat any thing for three day when he was arrested because our sisters and bothers were prisoned with out any food. Let Israel give training in it's close friend's countries like egypt . Israel is against ethiopia's interst every where. Israel's hopitals have treated ethiopia's adolf hitlers like melese and bereket when they ate, drunk and ate too much cahtes and felt not good
July 23rd, 2008 at 3:27 pm
What is this nonsence about him finishing the marathon in one hour and change?? Was he driving a corvette? Even Haile G/Silassie the current marathon world record holder did it in a little over 2 hours.
Daniel
July 23rd, 2008 at 3:54 pm
looooooool weyanas are getting rediculous by the minute.
NEXT!
July 23rd, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Dear weqaw #1,
I advise you to come to your sense and understand what kind of imact this barbaric action of the failed governance could have on the international reputation of the country.. which the TPLF gangs seem not care about…… they have done all bad to Ethiopia and the are trying to make sure that after they are gone Ethiopia still remain with least credibility in the international role…. After all, their action to this Israeli athlet is a reflection of their tyranical administration and lack of rule of law.
July 23rd, 2008 at 10:29 pm
this guy is much faster than my old volkswagon…1 hour for 40 kilometers…how did they catch him, he should have ran away
July 24th, 2008 at 11:06 am
why should we , ethiopians worry for immigrant jew, who immigrated from ethiopia to Israel? How many ethiopians are suffering from Israel's deportation and imprisonment in the state of jew? Do you knok that true ethiopians are not totally well come to Israel by the Israel's govenment at this difficult time? do you know so many ethiopians who were a lucky to escape from TPLF's hand and became authomatically un lucky in the hand's of Israel's govenment?Because the Israel's government has locked so many ethiopians behind the bare for the simple reason the refused to sign for their deportation back to ethiopia and they must sit in the darkest palce with suciders untill they will agree to sign. so we should not worry for one jew 's imprisonment in ethiopia by eritreans like melese, berekete and sebhat nega.
July 27th, 2008 at 5:49 am