By Desalegn Dagnew
After two difficult years of delayed Schengen visa processing, Ethiopian athletics officials say Europe’s decision to shorten waiting times could revive the nation’s dominance on the track.
For decades, Ethiopian athletes dominated European road races, track meetings, and Diamond League competitions. Europe has long been the center of global athletics, hosting the majority of the world’s elite competitions. For Ethiopian runners, access to European races is not only important for medals and rankings, but also for financial survival and international exposure.
However, over the last two years, a strict visa processing policy by European embassies created a major crisis for Ethiopian athletics. Athletes, coaches, and managers say the policy damaged careers, reduced international participation, and prevented Ethiopia from fielding its strongest teams at major championships.
Previously, Ethiopian athletes could receive Schengen visas within one or two weeks. In some cases, applications were approved in just a few days. But after April 2024, European Union embassies reportedly extended visa processing periods for Ethiopian applicants to as long as 45 days.
The consequences were immediate.
“Europe hosts most of the world’s elite races,” said coach and athletics manager Fikiru Leulseged. “When athletes are forced to wait 45 days for a visa decision, it becomes almost impossible to compete regularly.”
Out of the 15 Diamond League meetings held annually, 11 are hosted in Europe, including Monaco, Oslo, Zurich, Paris, Rome, Stockholm, and Brussels. Apart from meetings in China, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates, nearly the entire Diamond League season takes place across European cities.
For Ethiopian athletes, the long visa delays made it extremely difficult to move from one race to another.
“Managers spend months trying to secure invitations,” Leulseged explained. “After finally getting an invitation, athletes go to the embassy and wait for more than a month. Sometimes, after all the preparation and expense, the visa is rejected. That disappointment creates psychological damage for runners.”
He said athletes often missed races because the visa waiting period overlapped with competition schedules. In many cases, athletes were forced to cancel invitations or skip important events entirely.
Ethiopia’s Indoor Championship Disaster
One of the clearest examples came during the recent World Indoor Championships held in Torun, Poland. Ethiopian athletics officials say visa restrictions prevented many of the country’s top athletes from participating.
According to coaches and federation officials, more than 10 Ethiopian athletes and team staff members reportedly failed to secure visas in time for the championship. Among the athletes affected were 800-meter star Tsige Duguma and rising 1500-meter talent Saron Berhe.
As a result, Ethiopia competed without many of its strongest medal contenders and returned home without a gold medal performance that officials believe could have been avoided.
“We did not line up our best athletes,” coach Nigatu Worku (PhD) said. “The visa restrictions affected team selection, preparation, and participation.”
The impact went beyond medals. Coaches say many young athletes lost opportunities to gain international experience and exposure. Since entry standards and qualification deadlines are strict, delays in travel documentation can completely destroy an athlete’s season.
Officials noted that in some competitions, qualification windows closed just 15 days before events began. With visa processing taking up to 45 days, Ethiopian athletes simply had no realistic chance to compete.
“Other countries benefited from our absence,” Ethiopian Athletics Federation President and former athlete Sileshi Sihine said. “Our athletes were ready, but bureaucracy kept them away from competition.”
The visa issue also disrupted medical treatment and rehabilitation plans for injured athletes.
Sihine revealed that Olympic marathon champion Tamirat Tola faced difficulties traveling to Germany for treatment because of lengthy visa procedures. Federation officials feared the delays could jeopardize his preparation for upcoming global competitions, including the World Championships in Tokyo.
“If he had received a visa quickly, he could have traveled, completed treatment, and returned in time,” Sihine explained. “Instead, unnecessary delays created uncertainty for one of our greatest athletes.”
Athletes Begin Leaving the Track
Coaches say the visa restrictions also created a long-term danger for Ethiopian athletics by pushing athletes away from track competition.
According to coach Nigatu Worku, many runners began shifting their focus from track races to road and asphalt competitions because international track participation became too difficult.
“We were forced to become extremely selective,” he said. “Sometimes we could only send one or two athletes. Invitations became limited, and the visa process discouraged athletes from staying on the track.”
Managers explained that athletes who once dreamed of competing in Diamond League races began seeking alternatives in road racing circuits across Africa and the Middle East.
At the same time, China reportedly tightened participation requirements for athletics events, prioritizing only elite athletes. This created even fewer opportunities for developing Ethiopian runners.
“We were in a very difficult moment,” Leulseged said. “Young athletes could not access Europe or China. It became hard to develop the next generation.”
Officials also admitted that the federation faced criticism over the issue. Social media discussions intensified as athletes and fans questioned why Ethiopia was struggling to appear consistently at international competitions.
Coach Alemu Wakijira from Globala Management said managers regularly discussed the problem online and with athletics authorities.
“When you wait more than a month for a visa and finally receive a rejection, it becomes a huge loss,” he said. “Athletes lose training time, race opportunities, money, and confidence.”
Fortunately for Ethiopian athletics, officials say the situation has now begun improving.
According to coaches and federation representatives, Schengen visa processing periods for Ethiopian athletes have recently returned closer to previous timelines. Some visas are now reportedly issued within one to two weeks depending on embassy procedures.
“We are very happy with the decision,” Leulseged said. “Now athletes can travel from one European country to another using a single visa and compete in multiple races again.”
The change could dramatically improve Ethiopia’s participation in the Diamond League season. Athletes may once again be able to move freely between Monaco, Paris, Brussels, Rome, and other major athletics destinations during the summer circuit.
Federation President Sileshi Sihine credited diplomatic discussions for the improvement.
According to Sihine, the Ethiopian Athletics Federation repeatedly raised the issue with Ethiopian government institutions, including sports and foreign affairs authorities. He said he personally met European Union delegates several times to explain how severely the restrictions were damaging Ethiopian athletics.
“We had continuous discussions,” Sihine said. “The federation, sports authorities, and diplomatic representatives all worked together to solve the problem.”
Coach Worku also praised what he described as successful political and diplomatic engagement between Ethiopia and European representatives.
The federation says new internal regulations are also being introduced to prevent misuse of sports visas by non-athletes, an issue that officials believe contributed to embassy concerns in the first place.
Despite the recent improvements, athletics officials warn that the last two years left scars on Ethiopian sport. Missed races, lost medals, disrupted careers, and emotional stress affected athletes across multiple disciplines.
Still, many now hope the return of faster visa processing will help Ethiopia rebuild its international dominance.
“With easier travel again, we can discover young talents in Diamond League meetings and international competitions,” Worku said. “Ethiopian athletics can rise again.”
For a country whose running history has inspired the world for generations, the reopening of Europe’s athletics doors may prove just as important as any medal won on the track.
