An open letter and a formal complaint to Ethiopian Football Federation
We are writing this open letter regarding the unfortunate incident that happened on April 30th in Addis Ababa stadium where the head coach of Wolwalo AU F.C. had attacked a referee. It has come to our attention the national and local media including bloggers are engaged in a continuing effort to slander the reputation of Wolwalo AU F.C. over the incidence.
Up until this incidence, our sports club has been a beacon of exemplary sportsmanship. And after the incidence, our club took matters in its hand and fired the head coach who was involved in the incidence. In addition, our former head coach had made his official apologies to the referee, Ethiopian football fans, and the people of Ethiopia. And our club remained committed to implementing any disciplinary action by the federation. We strongly condemn any violent act on any individual let alone a referee. We believe under any circumstance no one should face any physical, verbal, or any other form of attack.
However, the recent disinformation and false allegations of Wolwalo AU FC by the Media, bloggers, and individuals who have a hidden agenda on our team in particular and people of Tigrean origin in general over this incidence is very concerning and totally unacceptable. We believe the media was unfair in their coverage of the incidence. For example, the coverage of the brutal beating and hospitalization of a referee by the hundreds of angered fans was only a fraction of the coverage of this incidence. We strongly condemn the false characterization of our club and over exaggeration the incidence.
For football fans in Ethiopia the emergence of teams such as Wolwalo is one it is getting our attention from European based leagues to our own for the first time. Such developing and small market teams are what the federation, media, and concerned individuals should support and encouraged. But the recent incidence has demonstrated to be the opposite. And we believe that such treatment of teams is detrimental to the development of football in Ethiopia
Best Regards.
Wolwalo Adigrat University sports club worldwide supporters
Official Letter: welwalo open letter to media
