Why does the Dubai Marathon attract way more Ethiopians than Kenyans?

Collin wrote:

LetsRun.com wrote:

On the world list last year, there were 10 Kenyans in the top 20 and 10 Ethiopians in the top 20. Generally, they're pretty even, though the very best men are all Kenyan.

The second sentence right here seems like the reason. They're mostly going for really fast guys that aren't quite the very best. With a lot of 10th-to-20th-best-in-the-world Ethiopians, they can create a scary good field for pretty cheap. They occasionally have some truly top-tier guys, but for the most part, getting a bunch of guys that were not quite in the top 10 last year, but close, insures that they'll produce a couple top-10 performances for this year on this fast of a course.

And if there is no drug testing in Ethiopia and no drug testing at Dubai, the

not quite top-tier guys can load up and crank a good one at Dubai.

Insider in the know wrote:

6% of Kenyans are muslim, among them no high profile runners

33% of Ethiopians are muslim, among them many high profile runners

This is the answer, clearly.

Does the Kenyan Federation have anything to do with it? Kenya and UAE have had their diplomatic issues.

From a Kenyan POV:Dec is a month that Kenyans do spend a lot of family time together(thats when school is over plus there's Christmas and new years eve.Some tribes like Kalenjin do circumsice their kids on Dec(this is animportant taboo for us) and it is always the longest holiday)so this might affect the training n stuff,on the other hand Ethiopians New years eve is on Sept(Im not sure,but something like that).Another reason might be because there are alot of rumours in Kenya that the Arabs mistreat Kenyans that work over there,so there is a lot of factors

dfasfadsfd wrote:

in which case, why not go to Rotterdam or something?

No appearance money for lower tier runners like them.

Loss of income/holidays from extra time off work needed compared to US marathon.

Travelling, hotel and food expenses.

Time zone, sleep, diet disruptions, etc.

So why go to Rotterdam or something?

nice XD

re: no americans

look at the 10th place time for the fast few years.

http://www.dubaimarathon.org/news-media/results/

that says a lot about why there are no americans.

LARRY BARTHLOW IS AN AMERICAN WHO HAS ETHIOPIAN WIFE IS INCHARGE FOR ELLITE RUNNER RECRUITING. HE IS AN AGENT AND THE SAME TIME WORK WITH ETHIOPIAN AGENTS TO CORRUPT DUBAI MARATHON AND CARLSBALD 5KM ROAD RACE.

HE SHARE THE COMMITION FROM EVERY INDIVIDUALL WHO MAKE MONEY ROM THIS RACES.

P5000m wrote:

From a Kenyan POV:Dec is a month that Kenyans do spend a lot of family time together(thats when school is over plus there's Christmas and new years eve.Some tribes like Kalenjin do circumsice their kids on Dec(this is animportant taboo for us) and it is always the longest holiday)so this might affect the training n stuff,on the other hand Ethiopians New years eve is on Sept(Im not sure,but something like that).Another reason might be because there are alot of rumours in Kenya that the Arabs mistreat Kenyans that work over there,so there is a lot of factors

"Boys' circumcision festivals took place about every seven and a half years,"

Mostly maneuvering by Ethiopian agents to make sure there is minimal competition from Kenyans for the prize money. Dubai does not pay big appearance fees (I do not believe claims that they pay no appearance fees). But, 1st place is 200k. Then, 80k, 40k, 20k. So, for a manager, having the top four means a % of $340k. Ethiopian managers undoubtedly have a quid pro quo where they bring top talent in exchange for limiting Kenyan entries.

Also, for the organizers, probably a bit of racism. Ethiopians look more like they are from the Middle East than from Africa. They tend to have lighter skinned and have curly hair instead of an afro. Kenyans in Dubai do most of the work that you typically see the new immigrant class do in a country: valets, bellhops, taxi drivers, construction, landscaping, etc. When a Kenyan wins Dubai, it is for people in Dubai like having the guy who mows your lawn win the race. Ethiopians look a lot like people in the southern part of the Arabian peninsula. They would still be seen as part of the underclass in Dubai, but not nearly as much as Kenyans.

" Ethiopians look more like they are from the Middle East than from Africa."

Ummm, you need to get out of your mom's basement someday. Africa is a singular "black" country, and it never has been.

Precious Boy,

Oh...how you are uninformed.

There is every kind of look in Ethiopia, and the athletics team is as diverse accordingly..

Jesus! How some people are so obsessed with race and skin color...