Mosley: F1 Will Become Bahrain Government’s “Instrument of Repression”

Max Mosley, former Formula One (F1) boss, firmly stated that if F1 did not reverse its decision to hold the Grand Prix race in Bahrain this year, it would “live to regret it.” Mosley makes a strong argument that sports and politics should never mix, however, he says the line is drawn when the sporting event “is being used by an oppressive regime to camouflage its actions.” “By agreeing to race there, Formula One becomes complicit in what has happened,” he argues, “It becomes one of the Bahrain government’s instruments of repression.” Justin Bergman also questions the decision to move forward with the race, pointing out the stark differences between last year and this year.

Meanwhile, Bahrain’s foreign ministry urged the U.K. to protect its embassy as a rooftop protest by Moosa Satrawi and Ali Mushaima entered its second consecutive day. The two climbed onto the roof of the Bahrain embassy in Britain to protest the imprisonment of Abdulhadi al-Khawaja and Hasan Mushaima, and Satrawi has threatened to jump unless al-Khawaja or Mushaima calls him. Additionally, E.U. foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton came forward with a public call for al-Khawaja’s release. Ashton said his health is “seriously deteriorating and his life is at risk,” and added, ”The EU urges in the strongest possible terms the Bahraini authorities to find a compassionate, pragmatic and humanitarian solution… as a matter of the utmost urgency.”