UO releases names of four missing Ethiopian track and field athletes, who may be in Portland area

Originally Posted on Emerald Media via UWIRE

Four Ethiopian track and field athletes were reported missing Saturday morning, and officials have reportedly come closer to discovering the athletes’ whereabouts.

The University of Oregon, which played host to the IAAF World Junior track and field championships this past week, released the names of these four athletes Monday afternoon. The lone male is also the only of the four under the age of 18 (he turns 18 in November). His name is Amanuel Abebe Atibeha. The three women — all 18 years old — are Dureti Edao, Meaza Kebede and Zeyituna Mohammed.

UO spokeswoman Julie Brown said that the four “are reportedly visiting family friends in the Portland area.” The University of Oregon Police Department, which is heading the search for the missing athletes, has talked over phone with the people reportedly in contact with the group, according to the department’s spokesperson, Kelly McIver.

“The problem is that when you’re talking to someone over the phone you can’t verify that people are who they say are,” McIver said. “We need them to come forward and positively confirm their identity to say, ‘Yep, they’re safe and they’re here by choice,’ and so they can continue what they want to do here in Oregon.”

Foul play is not suspected, according to Brown, but the UOPD is treating the situation as a missing persons case. The Eugene police, Portland police and FBI are assisting the UOPD with this case.

Officials have also not been able to confirm that the athletes are seeking asylum in the United States, as some have speculated. The four are in the country legally and the terms of their visas allow them to continue residing in the U.S.

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Read more here: http://dailyemerald.com/2014/07/28/uo-releases-names-of-four-missing-ethiopian-track-and-field-athletes-who-may-be-in-portland-area/
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