Posthumous Awards & recognitions

           

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Despite persistent efforts by some quarters to belittle or alter the history of Yidnekatchew Tessema, he had received a good number of posthumous awards, tributes and recognitions in the 19 years following his passing away on the 19th of August 1987. Among these are:- 

  • The Red Sea First Grade Medal from the Ethiopian Government on the 11th of September 1988.

  • The African Football Confederation had organized a gathering of his Colleagues for the Fortieth day commemoration of his death at the Cairo Marriot Hotel during which he was posthumously awarded the first Order of Merit of the Confederation in Gold and with the title “exceptional”.

  • The Ethiopian Communities in the U.S.A. & Canada had honored him by dedicating the 1988 edition of their annual football get together to his name.

  • The “Trophy Tessema”, for the winners of the African Youth Cup is to date dedicated to his name.

  • The Supreme Council for Sports in Africa had awarded him its Certificate of Honor on the 28th and its Order of Merit in Gold on the 30th of November 1987 respectively

  • "Homage to Tessema" a dinner gathering of the African Football family; in memory of Yidnekatchew Tessema and Horst Dassler was hosted by sports goods manufacturer, Addidas, during the African Nations Cup in Morocco 1988.

  • His Imperial Majesty King Hassan the 2nd of Morocco had dedicated a Sports Complex in Casablanca to the name of Yidnekatchew Tessema.

  • He was given the title of “Honorary President, Posthumous" of the African Football Confederation”, at the congress in Morocco 1988.

  • The World Health Organization had awarded him its first “No Tobacco Day” Award on the 7th of April 1988; making him the firs International Sports figure or institution to receive "WHO" recognition.

  • The F.I.F.A. Congress in Zurich July 1988 had awarded him its highest distinction, "the order of merit in gold".

  • On the 19th of August 1997, the African Football Confederation had organized a dinner for the African Football family on a Marriott Hotel Luxury boat on the River Nile in Cairo to commemorate the10TH Anniversary of his death.

  • The Society of Friends of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies, has awarded him  its second posthumous memorial Certificate, on 14 March 2001, the first being his meritorious father "Tessema Eshete".

  • The Addis Ababa Box Federation has been organizing annual boxing tournaments in his name since the year he passed away.

Apart from these, a number of local and international media have always given honest accounts of his life long meritorious services to Ethiopian, African and Global Sports.

The Family is very grateful to all.

 Partial view of The Tessema   Sports Complex in Casablanca.