Parliamentarians: Formula 1 is visibly far too quiet about this

Parliamentarians call on F1  

A group of 30 parliamentarians from different parties in the United Kingdom have asked Formula 1 to "encourage Bahrain to respect human rights," writes the BBC. This group has written a letter to the Formula 1 bosses asking them to implement their human rights policy.

"We write to express concern that the Bahrain Grand Prix is exploited by Bahrain's government to 'sportswash' their human rights record," reads the letter drafted and sent by Layla Moran on behalf of the group. She says she is disappointed in Formula 1 in a reaction.

"It's deeply disappointing that we haven't seen more progress from F1 when it comes to sports washing and Bahrain's human rights record [...] We can't let human rights ever be a secondary consideration."

Andy Slaughter of the Labour Party responds by saying: "At a time when many sportsmen and women are speaking up more clearly on human rights issues and addressing the concerns of their fans, the long silence of Formula 1 on the appalling human rights record of countries like Bahrain, which host lucrative races and sportswash their reputation while clamping down on their own citizens for the race period, becomes more noticeable and less defensible."

Bahrain rejects criticisms

However, a representative of the government states that the country does everything in its power to respect human rights. "The government of Bahrain takes the protection of its citizens' human rights and freedom of expression extremely seriously, and this is explicitly protected by Bahrain's constitution.

"This is evidenced by the government's wide-ranging reforms in these areas over the past decade, which have been implemented in partnership with international NGOs and welcomed by numerous international governments."

Whether Formula 1 will respond to the call of the British parliamentarians is not known, as yet they have not responded.