Two upcoming grands prix in Bahrain leave uncomfortable questions about furthering human rights via sport
Shortly after winning his seventh Formula One world championship last week in Turkey, Lewis Hamilton issued a warning to the sport he loves. It was time it faced up to its responsibilities, to confront and deal with the human rights issues that blight some of the countries it visits, and do it now, he said.
He would have been more than aware that F1’s next two races would be held in Bahrain, with the first on Sunday. Hamilton has been strident in pushing F1 towards embracing anti-racism, human rights and diversity this season. He is the sport’s most globally recognised figure, which makes him impossible to ignore. In Turkey his words were unequivocal. “We realise we’ve got to face and not ignore the human rights issues in the countries that we go to, not just 20 years, 30 years from now, but now,” he said.
Written by Giles Richards
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/nov/25/formula-one-faces-charge-of-aiding-sportwashing-by-racing-in-bahrain under the title “Formula One faces charge of aiding sportwashing by racing in Bahrain”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
