His agent has revealed that the 26-year-old will not fly to Ethiopia with the team but will stay back in Brazil to decide which country to go.

Lilesa crossed his arms as he crossed the finish line at the Olympics, a sign that had earned Ethiopians jail terms back at home.

"He didn’t plan at all for this.He doesn’t want to go to Ethiopia; he wants to go to another country. The U.S. would be very good but right now we just don’t know where he’s going to go. He was very happy after winning but also a bit confused,”Lilesa’s agent said.

Lilesa said in interviews after his race that he believed if he were to return home, he would be punished.

However, the Ethiopian government has asked him to return, saying that he would be given an heroic welcome.