Bahrain, Qatar Sprint to Olympics on Oil Ethiopian Can't Refuse
Bloomberg - July 8, 2008

Jamal, 24, is an ethnic Oromo, and tribal members oppose Ethiopian rule. She sought political asylum in Switzerland in 2002, so Ethiopia labeled her a traitor, according to her Web site. Switzerland refused citizenship because she didn't meet requirements including 12 years of residency.

She approached the U.S., Canada, France and Turkey before finding a home in Bahrain, where 70 percent of government revenue is tied to oil. She'll seek the kingdom's first Olympic medal.

"Had it not been for the circumstances, I would have competed for Ethiopia," Jamal, the first woman from a Gulf nation to win a world track medal, said in an e-mail. "I feel that I made the best decision because the Bahrain federation gives me a lot of support." Read More.