Ethiopia has some of the world’s best middle-distance and long-distance runners. You may have heard of Abebe Bikila, Mamo Wolde, Miruts Yifter, Haile Gebrselassie, Derartu Tulu, Kenenisa Bekele, Meseret Defar and Tirunesh Dibaba.
Tirunesh Dibaba for example is the double Olympic 5000m and 10000m champion; four-time world champion over the 5000m and 10000m; and a world record holder over the indoor and outdoor 5000m. In 2003, she was the youngest ever individual gold medallist at a world championship and also a three-time world cross country champion (source).
Wow! You would think that sponsors are competing hard to be able to benefit from this fast AND beautiful lady. BUT according to her own official web site (-> Sponsors) she has ONLY two sponsors!!!(Mizuno and Global athletics and Marketing Inc.)
I found an interesting analysis of this issue by Elshadai Negash published by Ethiopian weekly business newspaper Fortune in September 2008. Negash reveals that Tribunesh didn’t receive a much of media’s attention in Beijing Olympics after winning the 5,000m and 10,000m double.
Kenyan athletics journalist, Omulo Okoth tells in Negash’s article that it is an African athletes problem that they do not project themselves well for the media. A lack of real personalities creates frustration, followed by hardly any interest among journalists. And when the international media is no longer interested, the sponsors and big money meeting organizers also refrain from associating themselves with the athletes or the sport to promote their products and services.
According to Negash the public relations crisis is a problem that the IAAF, International Association of Athletics Federations is trying to address. The world governing body conducts media training for its world class athletes, including Ethiopians, and encourages them to learn English in order to communicate better with the international media.
Maria Kuula made an interesting post about Timothy Bell. Maybe Ethiopian athletes would need someone like him? Even if I understand that media and sponsors want to have interesting personalities with excellent communication skills, it feels somehow harsh and unfair that the talented, but demure ones are tossed aside. What are the ethics of media and sponsors in choosing the "best" athletes?
Picture taken from here
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8 comments:
Interesting post! I guess those Ethiopian athletes either get a plot to build a house from the state (as winners do in Finland).
Akviliina, group 6
Interesting case! I was just wondering why e.g. Nike, Adidas etc. are not interested of sponsoring these athletes? And is it nowadays a qualification for a athelete to be also a professional communicator and interesting personality? Isn't it enough to be a great athlete??
It is a shame! I definitely agree with Satu-Maria when she says it should be enough to be a great athlete. But nowadays you have to sell yourself, otherwise you won't get attention by media. Every business could be proud to sponsor such great athletes..
Maria
I think this might be a cultural thing. It must be difficult to compete with different show-offs, e.g. Jamaican runner Usain Bolt and American or Brittish runners. I am not an expert, but I would think that African people are not perhaps used to making a show, they are just athletes who do their thing for the love of sport.
Päivi Jauhiainen
Based on the research I did for this post I agree with Päivi that this out going image is partly culture related. I would also think that we Finns are here closer to the African style than for example the Jamaican style. See for example our Iceman Kimi or javelin throwers who don’t always aim to attract the media.
And this need for PR and media communication skills is also an issue for many other professions such as painters and musicians.
Could it be that a reason sponsors have not approached the athletes is because they do not think it'd be any good for sales? Africa is always first linked to poverty and turmoil, not media sexy at all.
I doubt it's a matter of cultural modesty, bringing attention to themselves is not necessarily a matter of choice.
Maria, Thanks for the good point. It is true that Africa is not seen very media sexy. As you wrote you often associate the continent first with poverty and turmoil. It is also true that the purchasing power in Africa’s market is not as big as it is in other continents. In this post I wanted to bring up one issue that might explain why African athletes are not considered to be media sexy. “Being best in the world” in one sport is not enough to attract media’s and sponsors’ attention. But I think that if it could be combined with an interesting and somehow unique personality – some one that stands out from the crowd – and good communication skills even an African athlete can sell.
Sorry Maija, I of cource wanted to thank YOU for the good comment.
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