Human rights group asks FIFA to bar Sheikh Salman from presidential election
Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) is refusing to stay silent after it was reported that Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, the president of the Asian Football Confederation, will be standing for the FIFA presidency.
Owen Gibson of the Guardian reported last week that Sheikh Salman will be throwing his hat in the ring after receiving "strong expressions of support from Europe, Asia, South America, and elsewhere," triggering fury from human rights organisations that allege that his family oversaw a campaign of torture four years ago.
Related: Human rights organisations furious over Sheikh Salman's reported bid for FIFA presidency
Sheikh Salman, specifically, is accused of identifying athletes involved in pro-democracy demonstrations in 2011 that were then imprisoned and tortured.
He has denied the accusations and has yet to formalise his candidacy for the FIFA presidency, but ADHRB published a letter Monday addressed to Issa Hayatou - the acting FIFA president following Sepp Blatter's provisional ban from all football activities for 90 days - that expressed "deep concern" over Sheikh Salman's potential bid.
From ADHRB's official website:
Dear Mr. Issa Hayatou and members of the FIFA Executive Committee,
In 2013, our organization wrote to FIFA President Mr. Joseph Blatter expressing our deep concern over allegations of unethical behavior conducted by FIFA committee member and President of the Asian Football Confederation Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al Khalifa. Sheikh Al Khalifa is a member of the Bahraini royal family and previously served as president of the Bahrain Football Association (BFA). As we explained in our previous communications, there is credible evidence that Sheikh Al Khalifa aided and abetted crimes against humanity while he was president of the BFA. In light of news that Sheikh Al Khalifa is seeking election as President of FIFA, we write now to urge you to terminate Sheikh Al Khalifa’s candidacy for this position in the upcoming emergency meeting of the FIFA executive committee.
ADHRB goes on to point out that FIFA initiated an investigation in 2011 into the attacks against the players that was "ostensibly dropped" after the players were released from prison. However, the human rights group argues that, despite the releases, many players are suspended from their club teams and unable to play for the national team, while others have left Bahrain in order to seek other opportunities.
By helping Bahrain security forces identify football players among the protesters, Sheikh Salman Al-Khalifa has aided and abetted crimes against humanity and violated Articles 13, 23, and 24 of FIFA’s Code of Ethics.
The Associated Press reported in 2011 that more than 150 athletes, coaches, and referees were jailed after a special committee, chaired by Sheikh Salman, identified them from photos of the protests.
Among those detained were Bahrain's record goal-scorer, Alaa Hubail, and his brother, Mohamed Hubail - both of whom were reportedly tortured, with the former being interrogated on state television and branded as a traitor.
"What happened to me was a cost of fame," Alaa told AP at the time. "Participating in the athletes' rally was not a crime."
FIFA reconfirmed Tuesday that its presidential election will indeed take place on Feb. 26, after there was talk that it could be postponed due to the overwhelming number of accusations and coinciding investigations that have engulfed the organization.