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Renowned British driver Lewis Hamilton has said that “Formula 1 can no longer ignore human rights issues in the countries it races in”, which puts sports chief Stefano Dominicali in an embarrassing position, after rejecting calls for an independent investigation into alleged human rights violations. linked to the Bahrain Grand Prix race, according to the British “Guardian” newspaper.
The Formula 1 world champion was speaking ahead of the 2021 season opener in Bahrain. “There are problems all over the world, but I don’t think we should go to these countries and ignore what’s going on there and get there and have a good time and then leave,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton said he “takes the situation in Bahrain very seriously,” according to the newspaper, to the point that he has spent the last few months educating himself on human rights there.
“I have been coming here all these years, and was not up to date with all the details of human rights cases, and spent time talking to human rights legal experts and organizations. human rights advocates such as Amnesty International, ”he said.
“I visited the UK Ambassador here in Bahrain and also spoke to Bahraini officials. It was my individual initiative, and I confirm that I am determined to help in any way I can.” , he added.
Hamilton has become an “increasingly vocal” human rights defender, and this was remarkably evident in his support for the Black Lives Matter movement last year, and his recent support for the human rights cause. man in Bahrain will certainly attract the same attention, according to the newspaper.
“Hamilton’s efforts are unlikely to align well with Dominicali,” the newspaper said.
Dominicali, the Italian who became Formula 1 CEO last September, rejected calls for an investigation in Bahrain, after receiving a joint letter from Formula 1 teams, the International Automobile Federation, Hamilton, 61 UK representatives and 24 human rights groups, and was coordinated. by the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD).
“It is important to clarify that Formula 1 is not a cross-border investigative organization, and we have an important function to promote our sport to the world in accordance with the policies defined for it, and unlike governments and other bodies, we cannot take the actions you ask for, “Dominicali said in response to the letter. It is not appropriate for us to claim that we can do it.
Today the # Race4Rights The campaign is launched for the second time. The campaign highlights:
🚩 Deterioration of human rights # Bahrain
🚩 Past and present abuses linked to # F1 raceWe urge F1 to recognize #human rights abuse and take tangible action towards real change pic.twitter.com/mJ9a4RiCM9
– BIRD (@BirdBahrain_) March 22, 2021
Formula 1’s response was dismissed by Sayed Ahmed Al-Wadaei, director of advocacy at the Baird Institute. He said: “We simply do not accept that a multi-million pound company does not have the resources or the capacity to conduct such an investigation, and F1 should urgently reconsider its position.”
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