Hill urges FIA boss to speak out on Bahrain
FORMER world champion Damon Hill wants Formula One’s ruling FIA president, Jean Todt, to take an ethical stance over the controversial Bahrain Grand Prix, amid claims of an upsurge in the detention of opposition protesters in the run-up to the race.
With just more than a week until the race in the Gulf, the Bahraini government and Human Rights Watch are in dispute over allegations that a crackdown has taken place against protesters in recent weeks.
In 2011 the grand prix was cancelled after violent clashes between anti-government demonstrators and police resulted in a number of deaths.
The race went ahead last year against an ugly backdrop as police reacted to protesters throwing petrol bombs by using tear gas, sound bombs and birdshot.
Human Rights Watch claimed this week that plain clothes policemen had raided towns close to the Sakhir International Circuit and arrested 20 people, raising questions over reform.
British driver Hill, who won the world title in 1996, wants Todt to engage in the debate on the issue rather than staying silent.
“I think Jean’s approach is say nothing because otherwise you are being political. I think that is a mistake because actually he is being political because he’s being used, or the sport is perceived as being used, by its engagement in the economy and the reputation of the country,” he said.
“He’s not said anything that has distanced the sport from things that it would find distasteful and upsetting, which I believe everybody in the sport would actually like to do.
“I think the vast majority of the people in Formula One would like to say: ‘We don’t want to come here to make things worse for people. We would like you to enjoy Formula One, we think Formula One has lots of positive things to offer, but please don’t, on our behalf, round up people up and brutalise them.’
“I don’t see that being political. That’s more ethical than political,” said Hill. Sapa-AFP