10 Nov 2011
(via pomed) – ESPN has released a short film documenting the situation of several Bahraini athletes who participated in pro-reform protests earlier this year. The video asserts that approximately 200 athletes were arrested in a government crackdown, many of whom underwent torture and secret military trials. The film discusses A’laa Hubail, one of Bahrain’s most prominent soccer stars who has since been banished from Bahrain’s national team for his role in the demonstrations.
10 Nov 2011
(via pomed) – ESPN has released a short film documenting the situation of several Bahraini athletes who participated in pro-reform protests earlier this year. The video asserts that approximately 200 athletes were arrested in a government crackdown, many of whom underwent torture and secret military trials. The film discusses A’laa Hubail, one of Bahrain’s most prominent soccer stars who has since been banished from Bahrain’s national team for his role in the demonstrations. Jeremy Schapp conducts interviews with many athletes and political officials, asserting that demonstrators “were fed up with the all-powerful royal family, the al-Khalifas, who are Sunni Muslims, and who treat the Shia majority like an underclass, limiting access to jobs and resources.” Schapp also asserts that one of the government’s approaches was “making examples of athletes,” many of whom were denounced on state-run television. The full video can been seen below.
Watch the video on http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=7209835
What if a country’s biggest athlete, a legend, a hero, a player who brought the nation some of its biggest sporting moments, was at practice one day and was suddenly taken into custody by masked men? What if he was held for months, tortured, his career ended, banned from his team and for playing for his country, all because he expressed his political views? It’s not a storyline from a Hollywood script — that is what allegedly happened in Bahrain. Specifically, it’s what Alaa Hubail says happened to him. Hubail is the most famous soccer player in Bahrain and says similar treatment was forced on his brother, Mohammad, also a member of Bahrain’s national soccer team; and to Anwar Al-Makki, Bahrain’s internationally ranked table-tennis champion. In a story largely ignored by the Western world, these athletes describe in detail the horrific torture they endured at the hands of their government — a government that is allied with the United States despite allegations of human rights abuses against pro-democracy protestors. E:60 goes to the Middle East for the first time to investigate how athletes were caught up in the clash of democracy, freedom, repression and politics. Jeremy Schaap reports.
Watch the video on http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=7209835
Related
- Mid East Posts: What to do About Bahrain? A Headache For Both Obama and Blatter, Aug 2011
- The Economist: Football in Bahrain: A house divided, Aug 2011
- Human Rights First Urges FIFA, U.S. World Cup Team to Condemn Bahrain’s Attack on Athletes , July 2011
- The Times: Bahrain’s soccer stars tortured in custody , July 2011
- Bahrain: Arrest, military trials, & suspension from sport activities, for athletes who practice their legitimate rights , July 2011
- BYSHR Report: “Sports” defendant in Bahrain, because of freedom of opinion and expression , April 2011
- AP: Bahrain soccer stars pay price for protesting