Athletics
GREAT ATHLETES, MO FARAH AND GEBRSELASSIE IN FURIOUS ROW OVER BURGLARY
BY MICHAEL PAVITT
Four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah of Britain and multiple world record holder Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia have become embroiled in a furious dispute over allegations the Briton was burgled at a hotel owned by the Ethiopian.
Sir Mo made the dispute public at the conclusion of a press
conference prior to competing at the London Marathon on Sunday.
The 36-year-old claimed, unprompted, that there had been an incident during the build-up to his second participation in the event.
Sir Mo alleged that while staying at Gebrselassie’s Yaya Africa
Athletics Village in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, where he had been
conducting his preparations, he returned to his room on his 36th birthday –
March 23 – to discover he had been burgled.
Yaya Africa Athletics Village, Addis Ababa
Sir Mo claimed a watch, bought by his wife as a present, had been stolen along with two mobile phones and money amounting to £2,500 in four different currencies.
“Haile owns the hotel and when you stay for three months at the hotel, it’s very disappointing to know someone who has that hotel and that kind of hotel couldn’t do nothing,” Sir Mo said.
“And at the end, they couldn’t do nothing.
“So just disappointed in Haile.”
Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia, owner of the hotel
The dispute escalated spectacularly when two-time Olympic 10,000 metres champion Gebrselassie, who set 27 world records during his brilliant career, responded, dismissing Sir Mo’s comments had been “deceit”.
Gebrselassie claimed he and his hotel had offered “unreserved support and commitment in regarding to his unproven claim”.
“Our hotel has a clear policy for its clients, which states they have to declare if they have a cash amount higher than $350, so that they are given a special safe box or give it for the respective officials to keep it safe,” a statement from Gebrselassie read.
“Ironically, Mo Farah was objected (sic) the offer from our hotel, when asked, in case if he needs a safe box.
“Legally, we are not going to be accountable on the matter.”
Gebrselassie, the former President of the Ethiopian Athletics Federation, claimed the incident had been immediately reported to police, with five employees claimed to have been taken into custody for five weeks.
He revealed the employees were later released after being cleared, while asserting that police had found nothing about the case.
Gebrselassie went on to criticise the conduct of Sir Mo at the hotel, adding that he had mediated after an alleged incident between the Briton and another athlete.
The statement added: “There were multiple reports of disgraceful conduct, which was not expected from a person of his calibre, and his entourage during his stay, by the hotel staff.”
Gebrselassie went on to claim “he was reported to the police for attacking (a) married athlete in the gym”.
The Ethiopian added: “But due to my mediation role, the criminal charge was able to be dropped.”
He then claimed that, despite Sir Mo, winner of the BBC Sports Personality in 2017, having been given a 50 per cent discount for his stay, he had left without paying his service bill of $3,000 (£2,300), Gebrselassie.
Gebrselassie added he initially “opted to be quiet” about Sir Mo’s behaviour after “considering his status and the good people of England”.
He changed his mind, however, after Sir Mo had made the dispute public.
“But doing all this and other things to accommodate him in a most possible best way, the return from him was, receiving a short message, which looks like an act of blackmailing and accusation,” Gebrselassie said.
Acc ding to NBC Sports, a spokesman for Sir Mo claimed Gebrselassie’s allegations were an attempt to distance the Ethiopian and his hotel from the incident.
“Mo is disappointed with this statement and the continued reluctance by the hotel and its owner to take responsibility,” the spokesperson told NBC Sports.
“Mo disputes all of these claims which are an effort to distract from the situation, where members of his hotel staff used a room key and stole money and items from Mo Farah’s room (there was no safe as it was faulty and Mo requested a new one).
“Police reports confirm the incident and the hotel admitted responsibility and were in contact with Mo’s legal advisor.
“The hotel even offered to pay Mo the amount stolen, only to withdraw the offer when he prematurely left the hotel and moved to other accommodation due to security concerns.
“Despite many attempts to discuss this issue privately with Mr Gebrselassie, he did not respond but now that he has, we would welcome him or his legal team getting in touch so this matter can be resolved.”
The spat has overshadowed Sir Mo’s participation in this year’s London Marathon.
He had finished third last year, ending behind Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya and Ethiopia’s Tola Shura Kitata.
- Inside the Games
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has officially set the ball rolling for the selection of Team Nigeria’s athletics contingent to the 2026 Commonwealth Games, announcing June 20 to 22 as the dates for the national trials in Lagos.
The three-day championship, scheduled for the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) Sports Complex, will serve as the sole selection event for athletes seeking to represent Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
In a statement released by the federation, the AFN emphasised that participation in the trials is compulsory for all athletes aspiring to make Team Nigeria, making the competition a critical stage in the country’s preparations for the Games.
The event is expected to attract the nation’s leading track and field stars, alongside a new generation of emerging talents eager to secure a place on the national team.
A total of 32 events for men and women will be contested during the championships, offering athletes opportunities to demonstrate their readiness for international competition.
However, the federation announced that participation in the men’s and women’s 100 metres, 200 metres and 400 metres events will be limited to athletes who have attained the prescribed qualifying standards. All other track and field events will remain open to eligible competitors.
According to the AFN, the arrangement is designed to ensure that only athletes who have demonstrated the required level of performance compete in the sprint events while maintaining broad participation across other disciplines.
Athletes are expected to arrive in Lagos on June 19, with departures scheduled for June 23.
To support athletes in their quest for qualification, the federation announced that accommodation will be provided to competitors who have achieved the stipulated qualifying marks during the qualification period. The list of eligible athletes is expected to be published in the coming days.
The trials are expected to produce intense competition as athletes battle for limited places on Team Nigeria. With the country traditionally regarded as one of Africa’s leading athletics nations, selection is likely to be fiercely contested across several events.
AFN President, Chief Tonobok Okowa, described the trials as a major milestone in Nigeria’s build-up to Glasgow 2026 and called on athletics enthusiasts and stakeholders to support the athletes throughout the championship.
Okowa expressed confidence that the event would help identify the country’s strongest athletes and provide selectors with the best possible team for the Commonwealth Games.
He also commended the leadership of the National Sports Commission for its continued support of the federation, noting that the backing has strengthened efforts to develop athletics and enhance elite athletes’ performance.
With the countdown to the Commonwealth Games gathering momentum, attention will now shift to Lagos, where athletes will compete for the opportunity to wear Nigeria’s green-and-white colours on one of the biggest stages in international sport.
For hopefuls targeting Glasgow 2026, the message from the AFN is clear: the journey to the Commonwealth Games begins at the YABATECH Sports Complex this month.
The Akwa Ibom State Government’s sustained investment in sports development under Governor Umo Eno is beginning to produce significant results, with athletes from the state returning from the African Senior Athletics Championship in Ghana with medals and qualifications for future international competitions.
This was disclosed on Monday by the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Sports, Paul Bassey, during a reception held at his office for athletes from the state who represented Nigeria at the continental championship staged in Ghana from May 10 to 17.
The athletes delivered impressive performances for Team Nigeria, winning gold medals in relay events and reinforcing the growing reputation of Akwa Ibom as one of the country’s emerging hubs for athletics excellence.
Speaking during the reception, Bassey praised the athletes for making both the state and Nigeria proud, attributing their achievements to the deliberate sports development policies introduced by Governor Eno’s administration.
According to him, the establishment of a stand-alone Ministry of Sports by the governor reflects the administration’s determination to give sports-focused attention and create opportunities for athletes to thrive at both national and international levels.
“Akwa Ibom is proud of you. You did not just qualify to represent the country; you went there and won gold medals,” Bassey said.
“Sports have always thrived in the state, but the renewed intentionality of His Excellency inspires us greatly. That is why he established a stand-alone Ministry of Sports to ensure focused attention on the sector. We sincerely appreciate his unwavering support.”
The commissioner assured the athletes and their coaches that the government would continue to honour and support them despite the political activities leading up to next year’s elections.
He added that the administration remains committed to projecting Akwa Ibom athletes to greater heights on the global sporting stage.
Head Coach of the state Athletics Association, Dan Umoette, also commended the state government and the Ministry of Sports for their consistent support, saying the encouragement has motivated athletes to pursue excellence and podium finishes.
Umoette revealed that three Akwa Ibom athletes were part of the Nigerian relay quartet that won gold in the 4×400 metres event at the championship.
One of the athletes, Comfort James, Nigeria’s women’s 800 metres record holder, described the government’s public backing as a major morale booster.
“We have not enjoyed opportunities like this before, where the entire government and the Ministry of Sports openly support us,” she said.
“It has boosted our morale and helped us stand out. We hope to do even more in future competitions because we know we are not limited.”
Among the Akwa Ibom athletes who represented Nigeria at the championship were Esther Okon and Jacinta Lawrence, who won gold in the women’s 4×400 metres relay final.
Ezekiel Eno Asuquo and Victor Sampson also claimed gold medals in the mixed 4×400 metres relay event.
Other members of the contingent included Comfort James in the women’s 800 metres and Clergy Edet in the women’s high jump competition.
Senior officials of the Ministry of Sports present at the reception included Permanent Secretary Mrs Rosemary Ubia, Director of Sports Mrs Brigid Otton, Director of Organising Mrs Margaret Ekpo, and Director of Coaching and Technical Unit Mrs Kate Ekuta.
Also present were coaches Kenti Christopher and Janet Ba.
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The London Marathon broke the record for the highest number of finishers in a marathon, with 59,830 participants completing the course to surpass the mark of 59,226 at last year’s New York City event.
Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe shattered the world record to become the first man to run the marathon in under two hours, followed by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who also breached the two-hour barrier on Sunday.
“To then break the record of the largest number of finishers in the history of marathons underlines the inspirational nature of the London Marathon. We are incredibly proud to have set a new Guinness World Record,” said Hugh Brasher, CEO of London Marathon Events.
In the women’s race, three women ran under two hours and 16 minutes in a single race for the first time ever, as Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa defended her title by shattering her own women ‘s-only world record
-Reuters
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