Footballers marked for torture, detention by al Khalifa’s brutal repression

Football stars tortured for joining protest, say families
Hugh Tomlinson Dubai – July 8 2011 12:01AM

Bahraini footballers, including stars of the national team, were tortured while in custody during a crackdown on anti-government protesters this year, The Times has learnt.

The testimony given to The Times directly contradicts assurances given to Fifa, football’s governing body, by the Bahrain Football Association that no players had been suspended or mistreated.

In fact, friends and relatives said that a number of players were subjected to beatings in prison after they were arrested for taking part in a demonstration against the ruling Al-Khalifa family in March. Other sportsmen have told of long interrogations and ritual humiliation in jail.

The victims included Aala Hubail, a striker, his brother Mohammed and the goalkeeper Ali Saeed, all members of the Bahraini football squad.

Sitting in a community centre in the Shia village of Sitra, near the capital, Manama, they were too afraid to speak about their treatment and would say only that they did not know if they would be allowed to play football again. The Hubail brothers had had their heads shaved. Mohammed had bruises on his feet.

Friends and relatives said that the men had been threatened with further abuse if they spoke out, but gave details of what they knew of the men’s treatment in jail. “The first two weeks after they were arrested were the worst. They were beaten all the time. They still have marks on their bodies,” said one close relative, who did not want to be named.

Bahrainis are obsessed with football and their players are idolised alongside the international stars of the game. Aala Hubail played a vital role in Bahrain’s best showing at an international tournament, when the team came fourth in the 2004 Asian Cup. He was the tournament’s joint top scorer with five goals. …more