02/05/2011
NEWS STORY
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The FIA has tonight announced that it has extended the deadline by which time a decision must be made regarding Bahrain hosting a round of the 2011 world championship until June 3.
The brief statement reads as follows:
"The Federation Internationale de l'Automobile, has granted the Bahrain Motor Federation and the Bahrain International Circuit an extension until June 3rd, date of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Barcelona.
This decision was taken after consultation with the relevant Bahraini authorities and Formula One Management, the international promoter."
The decision, which will delight F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and the Bahraini authorities, comes as the civil unreast in the country continues, and appears to back up fears that the sport is doing everything in its power to keep the event on the calendar in the hope that the unrest will "blow over".
However, only last week, in a move which has further inflamed the tension, a military court sentenced four men to death over the killing of two military policemen while three other defendants were handed life sentences.
Furthermore, on the same day that it was announced that Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa would will not attend the royal wedding in London, Pitpass' man in Bahrain wrote: "M. Todt has to make a fairly simple moral call this week, does he, as head of the FIA and its standard bearer, support the detention and torture of doctors and nurses who treat the injured?
"There has been acceleration in the arrests and detentions of doctors and nurses this week," our source continued, "either snatched from hospitals, their homes or in one case while operating on a patient. Accurate reports put this number at over 40.
"I can hear the call already, our source continued, "'The FIA is not a political organization, but the sports governing body'. However is it correct for the FIA, a sport's body to promote an event in a country where 150 sportsmen remain detained untried, their locations unknown? This includes four from the national football teams two of which were forced to apologize on TV for their peaceful protest and were then thrown in jail?
"While it was refreshing to see Mark Webber speak out about his discomfort at the situation in Bahrain and urge restraint; Red Bull probably should pack a third driver, as Mark learns intensive Arabic assisted by the local police.. Sportsmen are detained in Bahrain for much less.
"A 'Yes' vote may mean a few beans in the bank, but the FIA will have turned their backs on the 150 Sportsmen, detained, imprisoned not charged, completely failed to support doctors and nurses detained and imprisoned for doing their jobs, where another 600 people remain, no one is really sure.
"F1 can come to Bahrain but the villagers and opposition leaders rather harshly and unfairly see the decision by Ecclestone to waive the race fee, as freeing up cash which went straight into buying weapons to be used against their families, there are scores to be settled and the villagers now rather worryingly see themselves as martyrs.
"Expats have joined the ranks of the enemy; the claim is that Europeans have offered no protection. At a makeshift Shiite road block last night the volunteer guards said to me, 'Drones to Libya but you supply weapons to the Kalifa's to attack us'. He had a point."
Then again, in light of events elsewhere over the last 48 hours, it is likely that the global political landscape may well have changed by June 3.