Galen Rupp might soon be the US's #2 marathoner - Feyisa Lelisa is now living in the US

If we allow him into the US, why shouldn't we allow millions of other Oromo people?

It was immediately clear that the finish line spectacle was only done to secure his "refugee" status.

FYI: his gesture was a symbol of support of a terrorist group:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oromo_Liberation_Front

USATF Rulez wrote:

The US Government let Lagat become a citizen in early 2004. But the USATF did not allow him to run for the US until 2005. In 2004 he was forced to run for Kenya to compete internationally, including the Olympics.

.

Uhm. The USATF didn't know that Lagat was a citizen because only Nike and his agent knew his status. If his US citizenship status had been revealed he would have been ineligible yo run for Kenya in 2004. Lagat and his handlers chose to defraud the IAAF and the IOC.

Well, Lilesa will have to face out-of-competition testing as an American athlete so don't put him ahead of Rupp just yet.

Frank Shorter Out wrote:

Kenny Bart wrote:

american runners must be born here

Shorter's gold belongs to Germany in your world?

Predictable dumb-@ss post.

Predictable dumb-@ss reply.

2 to 5 years but who knows depending on the outcome of the election in November. Might be 2-5 years in an internment camp followed by deportation to our new BFFs in Russia.

US has a way of softening up East African runners who decide to live here permanently. I truly think this is because there are SOOO MANY other options than they have in East Africa that doesn't involve running. Even the great Bernard Lagat was softened up a bit. His most lethal years were wearing the Kenyan singlet.

I predict he'll fall off the radar after a year staying in the US.

redux wrote:

"The real issue is getting his family out of the hell hole.

"

What he did definitely put his family at risk back home. His wife, does he have kids, extended family?

Thank goodness to be living in the USA.

Really ? wrote:

USATF Rulez wrote:

Salazar is keeping Rupp on the track in 2017. So, Jared Ward is the #1 marathoner in the US for the remainder of this year, and 2017.

I thought Rupp was doing to run another marathon before the end of a year.

If not, what a freaking waste of talent.

he got the bronze medal. so stfu.

what fall marathon is kipchoge running?

Once the US realizes he is an elite marathoner who is sponsored by Nike they will speed up his application.

Jibberish wrote:

USATF Rulez wrote:

The US Government let Lagat become a citizen in early 2004. But the USATF did not allow him to run for the US until 2005. In 2004 he was forced to run for Kenya to compete internationally, including the Olympics.

.

Uhm. The USATF didn't know that Lagat was a citizen because only Nike and his agent knew his status. If his US citizenship status had been revealed he would have been ineligible yo run for Kenya in 2004. Lagat and his handlers chose to defraud the IAAF and the IOC.

WRONG. Get your facts straight, bigoted fool.

How is it that American citizen David Torrence defrauded the IAAF and IOC to compete for Peru? How about still-an-American Alexi Pappas running for Greece? How about the American basketball players who play for other countries during the Olympics?

predictive wrote:

Frank Shorter Out wrote:

Shorter's gold belongs to Germany in your world?

Predictable dumb-@ss post.

Predictable dumb-@ss reply.

Predictable ignorant post.

what a waste of a post wrote:

I thought Rupp was doing to run another marathon before the end of a year.

If not, what a freaking waste of talent.

he got the bronze medal. so stfu.[/quote]

So, Rupp can retire from marathoning to admire his bronze for the rest of life? What a freaking waste of talent.

I stand for the USA Flag wrote:

Saudi's make girls wear a hijab. Israeli snipers murder Palestinian marathoners. Turk soldiers murder Kurdish footballers. Be happy you live in the USA.

Amen! I couldn't agree more.

Blah Blah. wrote:

By the time he gains US citizenship he will be too old to be a competitive runner.

He can compete all he wants all over the world and here in the US.

He cannot compete for US citizen prize money or to make a US team to compete as citizen of the US. Is that clear!

rojo wrote:

Details here:

http://qz.com/777910/feyisa-lilesa-the-marathoner-who-protested-the-ethiopian-governments-crackdown-at-the-rio-2016-games-arrives-in-the-us/

Citizenship experts, how long will it take for him to switch to US citizenship? I assume he'll be in line for expedited citizenship since it's pretty clear he could be killed if he returned home.

Under the absolute best circumstances, it will take 3 years. It can be done in 3 years, but most likely it will take 5.

2cities wrote:

If we allow him into the US, why shouldn't we allow millions of other Oromo people?

It was immediately clear that the finish line spectacle was only done to secure his "refugee" status.

FYI: his gesture was a symbol of support of a terrorist group:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oromo_Liberation_Front

Hey, idiot!

From that same page you mention there:

"It has been outlawed and labeled a terrorist organization by the Ethiopian government."

OK? Got it?

What a moron.

Truth Sayer wrote:

US has a way of softening up East African runners who decide to live here permanently. I truly think this is because there are SOOO MANY other options than they have in East Africa that doesn't involve running. Even the great Bernard Lagat was softened up a bit. His most lethal years were wearing the Kenyan singlet.

I predict he'll fall off the radar after a year staying in the US.

This ^ is a very good call.

As Rupp gets the marathon down, don't be surprised if he beats Feyisa next time out.

Anyway, good luck to Lelisa, making a tough change like this.

I feel kind of bad for thinking this, but it seems that this has become a very self serving move. Lelisa certainly has brought awareness to what's going on in Ethiopia, but it seems that the only result that has come from this (a result that was the product of a massive gofundme effort no less) is for him and his family to be brought to the US.