Formula 1 has been accused of complying with the abuse of human rights in Bahrain as the 2022 world championship prepares to begin in the Middle Eastern country.
Formula 1 in February penned a new 15-year deal with the Bahrain International Circuit and will begin a season in the country for a second year in succession, when teams take to the grid on the weekend. This year’s official pre-season testing was also held in Bahrain.
In a letter sent from Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) director of advocacy Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei to Formula 1 chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali, the high-profile official said the sport’s governing body had “abandoned those who have been tortured and imprisoned”.
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He adds that the contract “directly contradicts your claim from last year that F1 takes ‘violence, abuse of human rights and repression very seriously'”.
According to the BBC, a Formula 1 spokesperson said: “We take our responsibilities on rights very seriously and set high ethical standards for counter-parties and those in our supply chain”.
A Bahrain government statement said the kingdom had “led human-rights reform in the region”, while adding that Formula 1’s criticism is “absurd and lacks context”.
Alwadaei also claims in the letter that the grand prix “has contributed to the abuse and suffering of individuals, and F1 has failed to adequately use its platform to put an end to abuses or secure redress for these victims”.
The letter juxtaposes Formula 1’s stance on the Russian Grand Prix with its attitude toward Bahrain’s equivalent.
It says BIRD supported Formula 1’s decision to cancel the Russian Grand Prix due to the country’s war on Ukraine, but adds that there “is a clear double standard being applied with countries in the Middle East”.
Formula 1 has deals with four Middle Eastern countries, in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Qatar. The Qatar Grand Prix hosted Formula 1 for the first time in history last season, and while the 2022 calendar doesn’t include Qatar due to the FIFA World Cup being held in the country this year, a 10-year deal is in place from 2023.
Alwadaei asked Formula 1 to reassess its policy on grands prix in the Middle East.
BIRD has also written to some drivers, requesting they “publicly stand up for human rights in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, including on social media platforms”.
The Formula spokesperson said that “for decades, Formula 1 has worked hard to be a positive force everywhere it races, including economic, social and cultural benefits”.
“Sports like Formula 1 are uniquely positioned to cross borders and cultures to bring countries and communities together to share the passion and excitement of incredible competition and achievement.”
The Bahrain government says it “welcomes and actively supports the role Formula 1 can play in shedding light on human-rights issues in all countries it operates in”.
It also says Bahrain has “the region’s most robust human-rights protections in place”, while giving mention to an independent human-rights ombudsman, police code-of-conduct reforms and criminal-justice reform.
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