Swedish runner Abeba Aregawi ended his racing career six years ago. Now he says he is considering a return.
In connection with the Olympic Games in Paris, a historic ceremony has been seen, when ten athletes received Olympic medals afterwards. One of them was Swedish Abeba Aregawi34, who was originally fifth in the 1,500 meters at the London Olympics.
Turkey took a double victory in the competition, but the winner Asli Cakir Alptekin and second Gamze Bulut were caught doping later. Aregawi, who at that time was still representing Ethiopia, won bronze.
Aregawi, who received Swedish citizenship later in the London Olympic year, has also been surrounded by doping scandals, because in early 2016 he gave a doping sample containing meldonium. However, he was not banned from competition, as Aregawi had used the substance before it was declared banned.
Aregawi ended his racing career in November 2018, but returned to the race tracks in June 2024. At that time, he won the 10 km Corrida de Langueux in France at 31.05. No Swedish woman has run the distance as hard.
General Secretary of the Swedish Athletics Federation Stefan Olsson told for Aftonbladetthat the union is interested in Aregawi. Olsson has been in contact with Aregawi’s former club manager, but has not been in direct contact with the runner.
Aftonbladet asked Olsson, among other things, whether Aregawi will be available for the Finland-Sweden match, but Olsson could not answer that. However, according to him, there is no obstacle that Aregawi, who has lived in Ethiopia for the past few years, could still represent Sweden.
– Since he was released, he is entitled to national team selection, that still applies. However, the problem is that he does not represent any Swedish club at the moment. Then his times cannot be counted as Sweden’s record and he cannot represent the national team, Olsson said.
Aregawi has not spoken to the media since his doping scandal. However, a day after the medal ceremony in Paris, he briefly commented on his situation. When Aftonbladet asked him if he wants to represent Sweden in competitions, he replied:
– Yes, why not. I’m going to compete, Aregawi said.
When will we see you at the games?
– Maybe next year.