Africa’s first black woman to receive an Olympic gold medal, Derartu Tulu, has been elected to lead the Ethiopian athletics Federation on Thursday November 15, 2018. In an emergency meeting, the Ethiopian Athletics Federation (EAF) elected Derartu to replace Haile Gebreselassie after he announced his resignation on Monday.
Following the unexpected resignation of Haile, who cited improper protests made by several athletes during last Sunday’s cross-country competition. Derartu, who is a member of the Ethiopian Olympic executive member, has been elected to take over the responsibility for the coming two months. Haile’s resignation will be approved in a general assembly in two months’ time.
The retried 45-year-old running legend, Haile, was elected in 2016 complaining over maladministration of the prior management. Before Haile’s presidency, the Ethiopian team only succeeded in winning eight medals in the Rio Olympics much less than initially anticipated.
Regarding this, some regions and clubs complained that the federation is not keeping its vow. During the resignation announcement, Haile said that the questions raised by some athletes were informal.
“What happened in the last cross-country competition was not formal. Complains they rose is not easily answerable at the moment and I doubt there are some people who distract the minds of the athletes for their own benefit.” Haile stated during the press conference.
Meanwhile, the 1992 Barcelona gold medalist Derartu Tulu will serve as president of the Ethiopian athletics federation until the general assembly’s election.
Derartu is the first woman to be elected as president to the Ethiopia Athletics Federation.
