Fionnuala McCormack is the only Irish athlete picked for a Team “Europe” that will run the Great Edinburgh Cross-Country meeting on Saturday January 9. The team takes on Britain and the USA. Irish teams will go in the junior and U23 races.
The men’s team includes five African athletes: one running for Turkey and the rest for Spain, although (allegedly) not living in those countries. Drugs cheat Alemayehu Bezabeh, an Ethiopian who runs for Spain, is one of those selected. Picked for the women’s team is European champion Sifan Hasan, who is Ethiopian but has some credibility since she came to the Netherlands as a refugee at the age of 15. Whether the situation in Ethiopia is so drastic that its citizens require political asylum is another question. Also selected is Trias Gebre, an Ethiopian who runs in Spanish colours.
To make it quite clear: people who move to another country and make their lives there, becoming valued and respected members of the community, are absolutely entitled to represent their adopted country.
MEN –
Senior: Ali Kaya (TUR), Alemayehu Bezabeh (ESP), Adel Mechaal (ESP), Ayad Lamdassem (ESP), Ilias Fifa (ESP), Florian Carvalho (FRA), Roberto Alaiz (ESP), Yohan Durand (FRA), Carlos Mayo (ESP), Amanal Petros (GER), Djilali Bedrani (FRA), Lorenzo Dini (ITA).
Junior: Fabien Palcau (FRA), Jimmy Gressier (FRA), Mohamed-Amine El Bouajaji (FRA), Petro Riva (ITA), Yohane Chippinelli (ITA), Baptiste Mischler (FRA).
WOMEN –
Senior: Sifan Hassan (NED), Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal (NOR), Fionnuala McCormack (IRL), Ancuta Bobocel (ROU), Clémence Calvin (FRA), Maureen Koster (NED), Johanna Peiponen (FIN), Trihas Gebre (ESP), Louise Carton (BEL), Jip Vastenburg (NED), Amela Terzic (SRB), Viktoria Kushnir (BLR).
Junior: Konstanze Klosterhalfen (GER), Alina Reh (Germany), Célia Anton (ESP), Sarah Kistner (GER), Anne Emilie Moller (DEN), Cecile Lejeune (FRA).
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