Human rights group urge Formula One teams to boycott Bahrain GP

Human rights group urge Formula One teams to boycott Bahrain GP
guardian.co.uk, 8 January 2012

The 2011 Bahrain Grand Prix was dropped from the calendar after civil unrest in the country. Photograph: Franck Robichon/EPA

Human rights groups have urged Formula One teams to consider boycotting the Bahrain Grand Prix in April, amid continued political unrest in the Gulf kingdom.

Last March, Bahrain’s scheduled season-opening race at the Sakhir circuit was postponed after widespread political unrest in the country and the deaths of a number of pro-reform demonstrators. Efforts were made to reschedule the race, but the Gulf state was dropped from the 2011 calendar in June, after protests from Formula One teams and drivers.

“We will campaign for … drivers and teams to boycott. The government wants Formula One to tell the outside world that everything is back to normal,” said Nabeel Rajab, vice president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights. “Formula One, if they come, they are helping the government to say [it is normal]. We would prefer it if they didn’t take part. I am sure the drivers and teams respect human rights.”

In November, the Formula One rights holder, Bernie Ecclestone, said in November that he would press ahead with plans to return the race to Bahrain. He also said that he did not believe the Grand Prix would become a focal point for protesters.

“It’s on the calendar. We’ll be there, unless something terrible happens to stop us,” he said. …source