Athletes who suffered political persecution face an anxious wait to find out whether their asylum claims are successful and they can resume their careersGenet Lire locked herself in a bathroom stall at Dulles International Airport and hid. The clock was ticking. whether she was found,she would beget to get on the plane and return domestic. She feared she would be locked up again, probably beaten, or her family terrorised. The time passed slowly: five minutes,10, 15, and 20. Feet tapped on the tile floor. Doors opened and closed. Every noise and shuffle made Lire’s chest tighten.
This was supposed to be a rapid/fast layover. Lire was a 17-year-old sprinter from Ethiopia,in the US to compete in the 2014 International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Junior Championships in Eugene, Oregon. But she had no intention of reaching the starting line. She and her team-mates flew in from Addis Ababa. They rushed to their gate, and watched their bags board the big jet,and that’s when Lire saw her chance, slipping absent to the bathroom as the flight began to board.
I told them I don’t support any other government. I just wanted to live by myselfIf I stay there, and maybe I don’t live much longerRunners granted asylum must wait five years before they can apply for US citizenship,a lifetime for an elite athleteContinue reading...
Source: theguardian.com