KEIR RADNEDGE REPORTING —- World football federation FIFA and its Asian confederation have been challenged to prove that their new-found adherence to the concept of human rights is more than mere window-dressing.

At issue is the case of Hakeem AlAraibi, a former Bahraini footballer who has been granted refugee status in Australia but was detained in Thailand at the request of the Gulf state while on holiday there last month.

FIFA has supported appeals for the Thai authorities to allow AlAraibi to return to Australia whose government has demanded AlAraibi’s release.

AlAraibi, who fled to Australia in 2014 and settled in Melbourne where he plays for Pascoe Vale, has said he fears being tortured and killed if he is extradited back to Bahrain.

He has said he was tortured for criticising Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, a royal family member who is now AFC president and FIFA vice-president, for failing to protect Bahraini athletes targeted in connection with pro-democracy protests in 2011.

Subsequently a Thai court convicted him in absentia of vandalising a police station, a charge he denies.

Influence sought

Now FIFA, its president Gianni Infantino, and AFC supremo Sheikh Salman are being pressed to bring their own and their organisations’ influence to bear more strongly.

Infantino has also been urged, specifically, to lean on Sheikh Salman as a senior figure within FIFA’s governing council.

The latest demand has come from Lord Paul Scriven, a Liberal Democrat politician who sits in the UK House of Lords.

He has written to Infantino picking up on the human rights issue which has proved testing for both organisations in recent years. His letter echoes similar calls from Human Rights Watch and the pressure group Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain.

FIFA adopted a formal ‘human rights policy’ in May 2017 after heavy criticism for its lax attitude to construction workers’ conditions in another Gulf state, Qatar. Human rights observance has since been incorporated into event bidding guidelines.

As for the AFC, Article Three of its statutes commits it “to respecting all internationally-recognised human rights and shall strive to promote the protection of these rights.”

Lord Scriven’s letter demanded actions not words, in particular from Sheikh Salman.

Scriven’s letter

He wrote to Infantino:

While I welcome your organisation’s public support for Mr AlAraibi I believe that FIFA can do more to help him. To my understanding human rights groups and members of the footballing community, including [players union] FIFPro, have urged Sheikh Salman to speak publicly in favour of Mr AlAraibi’s safe return to Australia.

Sheikh Salman is still yet to do so. I, therefore, ask that you elaborate on the actions taken by FIFA to rectify this situation.

The issue of particular concern as I am aware that Mr AlAraibi has spoken extensively about Sheikh Salman’s failures when he was president of the Bahrain Football Association.

Mr AlAraibi spoke out in particular during Sheikh Salman’s candidacy for the presidency of FIFA in 2016. The torture that Mr AlAraibi will likely face if returned to Bahrain may be in reprisal for these comments.

After all, Sheikh Salman led a committee to identify, detain and torture athletes that had taken part in peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations during the Arab Spring in 2011.

‘Unacceptable’ silence

Sheikh Salman’s silence on Mr AlAraibi’s unlawful detention is unacceptable and raises doubts as to FIFA’s willingness to uphold you own human rights policy. 

I request that you reconsider the structure of the organisation’s governane as I feel Sheikh Salman’s past actions and current stance does not abide by the human rights principles espoused by your organisation.

Sheikh Salman has always denied any role in state reprisals against protesting sports men and women, an issue which dogged his vain attempt to defeat Infantino in the FIFA presidential election in 2016.

Currently Sheikh Salman is heading towards new elections within the AFC. Next April he is seeking re-election as president and is favourite to see off rivals from the United Arab Emirates and from Qatar. The position of AFC leader automatically carries the role of FIFA’s Asian vice-president.

FIFA statement, AFC silence

FIFA and the AFC were both approached for comment. No response was received from the AFC.

A FIFA spokeperson said:

FIFA has become aware of the urgent situation with regard to Mr. Al-Araibi, a football player in Australia who is currently being held in Thailand, facing possible extradition to Bahrain, where it is alleged his safety may be seriously at risk.

In view of the potential gravity of the situation, FIFA has written to the Australian FA requesting that they take the matter up with their government, as a matter of urgency.  

FIFA is committed to the respect of internationally recognized human rights, in particular, as these rights relate to the safety and wellbeing of all individuals involved in football. 

FIFA expects the situation of Mr. Al-Araibi to be solved in accordance with well-established international standards.

In that respect, FIFA supports the calls for the Thai authorities to allow Mr. Al-Arabi to return to Australia where he currently enjoys refugee status at the earliest possible moment.

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