Oregon 2022: Eritrean Athletes Found After Reported Missing

Oregon 2022: Eritrean Athletes Found After Reported Missing

Near the end of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22, four athletes and one coach from Eritrea, a small country in Africa, were reported missing to University of Oregon police.

The Eritrean athletes Ande Filmon, Habtom Samuel Keleta, Merhawi Mebrahtu Teweldebererhan, Yemane Teklehaim Haileselassie and coach Berhe Asgedom Nigusse, were all located on Thursday, four days after the initial missing persons reports were filed.

The Eritrean National Athletics Federation was the group that initially reported the athletes missing.

The university released a statement Thursday that the five missing individuals had been located and are not in danger, according to the Eritrean National Athletics Federation. The federation said the athletes are resuming activities with the team.

Three of the athletes competed in the world championships. Teklehaim Haileselassie competed in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase and finished seventh overall. Samuel Keleta competed in the men's 10,000 meters and finished 17th. Mebrahtu competed in the men's 5,000 meters and finished 17th in the first round. He did not qualify to move on to finals.

Although it is reported that the athletes are now safe, the initial buzz around their unknown whereabouts can be partially attributed to the possibility of defecting from their home country. Defection allows individuals to escape home countries with tumultuous political climates by giving up allegiance to one country in favor of another. Many international athletes have taken advantage of travel to defect.

Through Oregon22, two Cuban athletes have defected: Javelin competitor Yiselena Ballar Rojas and Yaimé Pérez. Pérez placed seventh in the discus throw finals. Rojas did not compete as planned.

Similar to Cuba, Eritrea has faced years of political turmoil, leading to the assumption that the athletes could defect.