Athlete Selemon Barega is a national hero in Ethiopia after winning his country’s only gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
But he’s a hero without a ride.
After Barega beat world champion and world record holder Joshua Cheptegei in the 10,000m race to claim gold in Tokyo, he was promised a car by the Ethiopian government, but Barega said he’s still waiting to get his wheels nearly nine months later.
Mesfin Cherinet, the State Minister in the Ministry of Sports, told the BBC his car can’t be delivered due to shortages of foreign currency.
Barega was presented with a ceremonial car key from Ethiopian president Sahle-Work Zewde back in August, but according to Cherinet “the car at the ceremony was the promised one, not the actual one to be given.”
As Ethiopia continues to be devastated by civil war and massive food shortages which has left thousands of Ethiopians struggling to stay alive, Barega understands the difficult situation.
“The process takes long,” he told the BBC. “Former athletes faced the same. Even though mine has been delayed a long time, I did not file a complaint.”
He has been offered the cash equivalent of the car (2.8m Ethiopian birr or about $54,000) as compensation, along with a promise to help him import the car without paying a customs tax.