Bahrain athlete loses citizenship
A Bahraini athlete who ran and won a marathon in Israel has been stripped of his citizenship.
Authorities said Mushir Salem Jawher, who was born in Kenya but moved to Bahrain in 2003, had violated the laws of the country.
Israeli media said Mr Jawher was the first athlete from an Arab country to compete in an Israeli marathon.
Bahrain has no official ties with the Jewish state but Mr Jawher said he was “very proud” to have taken part.
”Shock and regret’
Following the race on Thursday, Israel’s Jerusalem Post newspaper quoted Mr Jawher as saying Bahrain was a “free country” and “people should live together in harmony”.
Bahrain athlete loses citizenship
A Bahraini athlete who ran and won a marathon in Israel has been stripped of his citizenship.
Authorities said Mushir Salem Jawher, who was born in Kenya but moved to Bahrain in 2003, had violated the laws of the country.
Israeli media said Mr Jawher was the first athlete from an Arab country to compete in an Israeli marathon.
Bahrain has no official ties with the Jewish state but Mr Jawher said he was “very proud” to have taken part.
”Shock and regret’
Following the race on Thursday, Israel’s Jerusalem Post newspaper quoted Mr Jawher as saying Bahrain was a “free country” and “people should live together in harmony”.
“When I decided to come I didn’t know it was history for me to be here, but when I arrived [I was] told no other athlete had competed in Israel.
“For me, it was no problem and I hope to come back and compete next year,” he said.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Bahrain’s Athletic Union said it had received news that a Bahraini national had competed in Israel with “shock and regret”.
A committee of sport and government authorities decided to strike Mr Jawher’s name off the sport union records and revoke his Bahraini nationality, the statement said.
It said Mr Jawher entered Israel with his Kenyan passport and that the runner had “violated the laws of Bahrain”.
Mr Jawher won the Tiberias Marathon in just over 2 hours and 13 minutes.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/6238217.stm
