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Guor Marial is a 2:12 marathon who has been living in the United States for the past 11 years as a refugee from Sudan. After he ran a 2:14 marathon to get the Olympic standard Sudan offered to let him represent them at the Olympics. As the Sudanese government killed 28 of his family members and representing them at the Olympics would end his refugee status in the United States and mean deportation he turn them down. However, because South Sudan (where Marial was born) has not created a national olympic committee since it ceded from Sudan last July Marial cannot represent them at the Olympics. This petition is to the International Olympic Committee to allow him to compete at the Olympics as an Independent Athlete, marching under the Olympic flag. In 1992 at the Barcelona Olympics athletes from Yugoslavia were permitted to compete at independent athletes, as were athletes from East Timor at the Sydney Games in 2000, one year after Indonesia ceased its occupation and burned the country to the ground. Hopefully with some attention from the running community the ICO will allow Marial to compete. The petition is here: http://www.change.org/petitions/allow-south-sudanese-runner-guor-marial-to-compete-in-the-olympics-marathon |
| Owl Jolson |
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As a New Hampshire runner who was in high school the same time as Gour and got to watch him run all the time, I support this so much. I didn't realize he had run such a fast marathon after graduating. Good for him, and I REALLY hope this gets some serious attention and he's allowed to run. |
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