(Sept 26, 2013, (Sweden))--Swedish champion athlete Abeba Aregawi has said she is "disappointed" her comments over homosexuality overshadowed her gold medal win at the Moscow World Championships when she refused to take part in the rainbow protest due to her religious beliefs. "I felt like nobody really celebrated my gold but it was more about what I sad at that press conference," the 23-year old told Dagens Nyheter.
Aregawi, who was born in Ethiopia and has been a Swedish citizen since 2012, won the women's 1500m title last month. Her victory was dwarfed by the actions of Swedish high jumper Emma Green Tregaro and sprinter Moa Hjelmer, who made headlines by painting their fingernails with the colours of the rainbow to support gay rights in Russia.
Gold medal winner Aregawi declined to join her team-mates saying;"Personally, because my faith doesn't allow it, I don't support it." She later added via an interpreter that her religion doesn't allow "men to be with men and women to be with women." However, a month on from the saga and the champion athlete backtracked placing the blame for the controversy on management in the Swedish athletics association.
"Somebody in the management should have prepared me for that question. I did not understand what the questions were about at the press conference. I'm disappointed that I didn't get any help." Read more from The Local »
Aregawi, who was born in Ethiopia and has been a Swedish citizen since 2012, won the women's 1500m title last month. Her victory was dwarfed by the actions of Swedish high jumper Emma Green Tregaro and sprinter Moa Hjelmer, who made headlines by painting their fingernails with the colours of the rainbow to support gay rights in Russia.
Gold medal winner Aregawi declined to join her team-mates saying;"Personally, because my faith doesn't allow it, I don't support it." She later added via an interpreter that her religion doesn't allow "men to be with men and women to be with women." However, a month on from the saga and the champion athlete backtracked placing the blame for the controversy on management in the Swedish athletics association.
"Somebody in the management should have prepared me for that question. I did not understand what the questions were about at the press conference. I'm disappointed that I didn't get any help." Read more from The Local »
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