In September 2015, Dashen Brewery and Arsenal Football Club announced a three-year partnership. The partnership focuses on supporting Dashen Brewery’s community-based initiatives. Coaches from the club regularly visit Ethiopia and provide coaching to the Brewer’s grassroots football development project.

The third round the grassroots coaching session was held from February 9 to 10, 2017, in Addis Ababa. Grassroots football projects of the Ethiopian Premier League clubs, the Ethiopian Football Federation, regional sports commissions, and private projects partook in the training. EBR adjunct staff writer Abiy Wendifraw attended the session and discussed with participants on how the training will help them to improve their coaching.

This year marked the 41st anniversary of Ethiopian Coffee Football Club. The anniversary came at a time the club is financially stable. For many years, the club has faced financial constraints. As a result, it was never able to attract big names and foreign players until recently. That’s become a thing of the past and in fact the club is now stronger than before and considered a rival to the nation’s oldest, richest and very popular club, St. George. Its fans are also considered the most committed and cheerful supporters. EBR adjunct writer Abiy Wendifraw spoke with founders and administrators of the club to learn about their effort to build a strong football club and the reasons for having the most supporting fans in the country.

Farewell of the Athletic Giant

Miruts Yifter, 5000 and 10000m double winner at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, is a legendary persona in the long distance running. He was the only Ethiopian who won double gold medals until Tirunesh Dibaba and Kenenisa Bekele did a similar victory in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Miruts is best known by his nickname “Yifter the Shifter” for his devastating finishing speed.
The athletic giant, aged 72, passed away on December 22, 2016 in Toronto, Canada, where he lived for over 15 years. In a well attended funeral, his body finally rested at St. Trinity Cathedral Church in Addis Ababa. EBR’s adjunct writer Abiy Wendifraw spoke with the athlete’s running mate, families and members of the Ethiopian Athletics Federation to prepare his obituary.

While commonplace in European football leagues, the recruitment of foreign-born players in Ethiopian football is a fairly recent trend. Some argue that these players will be good for the development of the sport, as they tend to bring new techniques, exposing players to the realities of competing with players from different countries. Others, however, argue that these players don’t bring much to local clubs and use up crucial resources, ultimately hindering the sport’s development. EBR adjunct staff writer Abiy Wendifraw spoke to football insiders to learn more about the debate.

While the summer months are fairly quiet for Ethiopian football fans, they provide an opportunity for teams and clubs to engage in tournaments and friendly matches. These events, while not part of the official football season, help build player capacity and may even generate revenue through sponsorships and ticket sales. However, they’re not without their potential negatives, as logistics and organising may prove difficult. EBR adjunct staff writer Abiy Wendifraw spoke with key insiders to learn more about the potential and pitfalls of developing robust preseason tournaments.

Ethiopian sport associations have long been plagued by lack of finance. A dearth of funds means teams aren’t able to provide equipment for players or engage in tournaments that help develop crucial skills. While breweries have sponsored teams and clubs for years, now more companies are engaging in local sports. Abiy Wendifraw, EBR’s adjunct staff writer, delved into the topic deeper to learn more about this growing trend and the potential benefit it will bring to sports and businesses.

While Ethiopia has produced famed cyclists, it has never garnered as much popularity as athletics or football. However, this year, when Tsgabu Gebremariam became the first Ethiopian to participate in the prestigious Tour de France, it shed light on the potential of the sport in the country. Some insiders say youth are a promising demographic, since many cities have ideal training environments. EBR’s adjunct writer Abiy Wendifraw spoke with cycling insiders about the significance of Tsgabu’s career trajectory and developing a more robust presence of the sport in Ethiopia.

Ethiopian football matches are often sites of clashes between fans and referees. This dynamic is particularly heightened during high-stakes matches for championship titles or between rival teams. Some argue that officials who preside over matches need to be better trained and equipped to deal with the fast-paced, often dangerous nature of the sport. EBR’s adjunct staff writer Abiy Wendifraw used these clashes as an opportunity to learn more about the challenges of refereeing in Ethiopia and what needs to be done to improve the profession.

The makings of a successful football team begin long before a match– it starts with the development of a talent pipeline. Yet, Ethiopia is lacking programmes committed to developing young footballers. However, that’s changing with the emergence of places like Sewnet Bishaw ena Betesebu Youth Football Training. EBR adjunct staff writer Abiy Wendifraw spoke with football insiders to learn more about the work of the centre and how it is developing future talent.