The Ethiopian marathoner, who flashed an anti-government gesture as he crossed the finish line in second place at the Rio 2016 Olympics, will not go home.
The runner, Feyisa Lilesa, will not fly back to Ethiopia on Tuesday with the rest of his team, his agent has said, choosing instead to remain in Brazil with his immigration status unclear.
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‘He didn’t plan at all for this’, said Mr. Lilesa’s agent. ‘He doesn’t want to go to Ethiopia; he wants to go to another country. The U.S. would be very good but right now we just don’t know where he’s going to go. He was very happy after winning but also a bit confused.’
By raising his arms and crossing them in an ‘X’ in front of his face as he crossed the finish line Sunday, 26-year-old Lilesa has crossed the Ethiopian government.
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Tens of thousands of protesters have been jailed and hundreds have been killed, according to Human Rights Watch. Lilesa said in interviews after his race that he believed if he were to return home, he too would be punished.
The Ethiopian government has said he has nothing to worry about and that he would be treated like a hero upon his return.
But should he believe his government?
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