 Dejere Tulu, who had trained for the Olympics |
Runner who defied the odds was tipped for a medal in Beijing next year
AN Olympic hopeful who fled torture and persecution in Ethiopia, and fought a three-year battle for British citizenship, died in poverty in his Holloway flat, undiscovered for days, an inquest heard on Tuesday.
A St Pancras inquest failed to discover why Dejere Tulu, 25, a supremely fit elite athlete had died at his Hilldrop Crescent home, where he was found by friend Joshua Bowler, in June last year. The inquest heard that because he was not discovered for some time, medical investigators were unable to determine the cause of death.
Coroner Dr Andrew Reid determined it could have been attributed to existing heart problems, a history of epilepsy or sudden adult death syndrome.
Against all odds Mr Tulu was widely considered to be one of the greatest long-distance runners in the UK, was predicted to be a medallist in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and could run the 10k race in world-standard 28 minutes.
He escaped Ethiopia in 2001 following the murder of his political activist father, arriving in England covered in scars and cigarette burns.
Entering to Britain as part of gold medal-winning World Championship Ethiopian team, he sought political asylum, finally winning citizenship after a lengthy court battle.
As an asylum seeker, he was not allowed to work, and lived on just £25 a week, but he still managed to train as an athelete.
Ceri Diss, a sports scientist at Roehampton University, where Mr Tulu trained said: “He was living in awful conditions. When he did any races in the week he never really ran to his true potential. He was trying to train and feed himself on very little money.
“He tried to eat properly but he was losing weight. He was very proud. He so wanted to work, he did not want to be living on the state. The UK treat refugees as if they are a piece of dirt.”
After winning citizenship last year, he was allowed to work and secured a place on a course to be a personal trainer.
Ms Diss said: “He was starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But then this happened. In the UK questions are not being asked about why so many Ethiopian runners are leaving their homes and their countries. Dejere didn’t want to leave his country, he and his teammate who defected were very obviously abused.”
Dr Michael Korzinski, of the Helen Bamber Foundation, who work with refugees and asylum seekers, said: “You hear so many stories about asylum seekers and Dejere represents the best of what we want people to be in this country.
“He was part of the Oromo tribe that has a long history of being persecuted. His father had been killed because of his political activities. He was shot in the head, and it is alleged his murder was related to his political activities in supporting the rights and freedoms of the Oromo people.
“Dejere lost his father when he was very young, it was deeply traumatic and damaging but cemented in him a strong sense of political belief.
“When he ran, in his mind, he was always running for the Oromo people.”
Verdict: Open.
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