BAHRAIN: Formula 1 boss says Grand Prix canceled

Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says October's reinstated Bahrain Grand Prix is canceled this year as the Persian Gulf nation continues to grapple with reports of human rights violations a week after the king lifted martial law imposed to quell a pro-democracy uprising.

The race was due to open the season in March but was called off after anti-government protests erupted in February, leaving more than 20 people dead. Last week, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) restored it to the calendar despite complaints by human rights organizations of an ongoing crackdown by the gulf monarchy against dissidents.

"Hopefully we can return in the future, but of course it's not on," Ecclestone told BBC Sport's Dan Roan on Wednesday. "The schedule cannot be rescheduled without the agreement of the participants -- they're the facts."

In voting Friday to reinstate the race, FIA's World Council apparently overlooked its own sporting code, which says no changes can be made to a championship after entries open without the agreement of all the competitors.

Timeline: Repression in Bahrain

Technically, the vote stands and FIA should vote again to cancel it. But sports anaylsts said Wednesday that the teams will most likely ignore the vote, since it cannot take effect without their agreement.

Teams scheduled to participate in the Bahrain race wrote to the FIA on Tuesday, expressing their opposition on logistical grounds and calling what would be the 20th race of the season "unbearable to our staff," according to BBC Sport.

The letter did not list any moral or ethical objections to holding the race in Bahrain, but sources told the BBC that the teams are also concerned about the unrest in Bahrain.

The decision to reinstate the Bahrain race and reorganize the 2011 Formula 1 season -- in which six races have already been completed -- had provoked an outcry from former FIA chairman Max Mosley, Red Bull driver Mark Webber and human rights activists.

"In my personal opinion, the sport should have taken a much firmer stance earlier this year rather than constantly delaying its decision in the hope of being able to reschedule it in 2011," Webber, 34, wrote on his personal website. "It would have sent a very clear message about F1's position on something as fundamental as human rights and how it deals with moral issues."

Avaaz, an international activist group, immediately issued a statement condeming the Formula 1 leaders' decision.

"Claims that calm has been restored and life is back to normal in Bahrain are completely untrue," said Avaaz campaign director Alex Wilks. "In the last week the police have continued to use tear gas, rubber bullets and sound grenades to break up peaceful marches, killing and injuring dozens of people."

The teams, and the majority of F1's decision makers, head to Canada this weekend for the seventh race of the season, where there is expected to be more discussion on the future of the Bahrain race.

-- Molly Hennessy-Fiske in Cairo

Photos, from top: Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone walks on the starting grid before the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix at the Yas Marina racetrack in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in November 2009 (credit: Luca Bruno/Associated Press); Red Bull Formula 1 driver Mark Webber (credit: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg).

Comments

[Anton]

Even though F1 is canceled from Bahrain, Bahrain will always be a peaceful country with great wise leadership. As long as bahrain is protected from iranian slaves and hizbolla slaves we are happy.

Traitors aka protesters of Bahrain try so hard to demolish bahrain's economy by spreading falsified information and news to international media, but their plots against Bahrain will never succeed because the MAJORITY of Bahrainis are against what they are doing.

Bahrain is a kingdom for everyone, where muslims Christians jews all living in peace, but Iranian slaves want iran to invade bahrain and leave it in chaos because of their religiously brainwashed.

Thanks to the bahraini leadership such thing will never happen and all those iranians slaves should be ashamed of themselves for betraying the country that has always looked after them. bahrain is the best place in the Arabian gulf region for expats and it will always be so

[Joe]

Funny how Bahrain dictator blame majority of Bahrainis for being foreign stooges and yet it's him who is bringing foreign troops in to Bahrain!
Unfortunately these foreign puppets care more about foreigners perception of their reign instead of caring about their fellow countrymen!

[M Pou]

Bahrain is one of the most open and pro-democratic countries in the Middle East. Probably its actions in the unrest were not as optimal as it could be expected but it has publicly demonstrated its interest in negotiations, dialogue and due modifications.

Every country has its own military forces to protect the territory.

The allegations included in the article are taken out of context.

Incidentally Bahrain regime suffered a direct attack, without precedents and reacted. Now stabilized, it maintains the support of all current governments in the world.

What about Russia ?, what about China ? Is Formula 1 (teams/or Organisation) being cancelled as well ?

If Bahrain would have been an unsafe country, don't you think that it would have also taken in consideration the indirect associated risks to be exposed to the global audience (global press) and have a physical concentration of a massive public ? I guess yes.

This is a clear indicator of a consolidated social harmony definitively recovered.

Could there be a rectification? Let's hope so. Otherwise this decission evidences an UNFAIR PLAY.

M Pou

[mariam]

This is a biased page, you don't post my comment because it was about the truth of Bahrain. We in Bahrain enjoy peaceful normal days, not violation in any kind, what u allegedly call protesters are savage terrorists who try to destroy the country and hand it to iran to be another Iraq. Bahraini people are strong and they will always defend Bahrain and work for its prosperity regardless of all the hidden agenda terrorist have planned against us. Finally, We welcome F1 to our country, we have one of the best circuits in the world. F1 is Bahrain has always been a successful event that proves Bahrains ability to hose such international event effectively

[ghada]

F1 would be a greatest event to bring back the happiness and unite to Bahrain , the is the huminty bringing back the smiles to our kids and creating more job for people called a humminty

i am bahraini and i live in bahrain i can asure you bahrain is very very peacful now and safteir then before

[ali mohmed]

thank u for help bahraini pepole for not com to make f1

[Ali Hasan]

Up to now there are 36 people were killed in Bahrain, and we ask people in the world to not beleave Bahrain Govenment News because they are liers.

[Sarah]

I'm so disappointed in the international community who are listening to only one side of the story. Bahrain is a beautiful that's been blessed with a fair leadership. All this talk of oppression is not true. No country is perfect but we enjoy so many freedoms that people are undervaluing and not appreciating. The protesters do not love their country. How can you love it when you destroy it with your own hands. This was an opportunity to show the world a unified Bahrain, however people in the international community and sadly within Bahrain don't want what is best for it's people or economy.

All we are asking is for fair judgmement, not to be sitting in an office thousands of miles away listening to lies from enemies of their own country. Come to Bahrain, this island of a million palm trees and see for yourself the truth.

I've lost faith in everything I read, because everything that's been written about my country was either lies or overly exaggerated. Please go on twitter and open the #bahrainnow tag to see pictures from Bahrain. This is an initiative by Bahraini patriots to show the world their beautiful island.

[Mohammed Al Hammadi]

It's not fear
You can't give us a hope then take it Back
Bahrain can always host the race and everyone know that
And we still support F1 in Bahrain October 2011

Mr. Bernie Ecclestone this is the Fact about Bahraini Protesters and Fabrication of media by Bahrain protesters
Pllz watch this http://t.co/FiXP5pP

If you need more of these vedios just ask.

[Jabr]

Some of the plaintiffs that they are human rights activists in Bahrain using the atmosphere of freedom in Bahrain to spread lies trough Media and through the Internet to destroy the economy of the State for subversive purposes ..

[Sayed20022002]

We need F1 in Bahrain But not now, first we need to free all the innocents detainees from the jail especially womens, it is very shame to keep ladies in prison from defferent disciplines like doctors, teacher, students, engineers, etc.. What did they do?..... They were demanding peacefully for their rights.

Stop torturing the detainees, stop brutal crackdown rally peaceful, stop dictatorship behaviors, stop laying and fabricating news in Bahrain TV, stop killing peaceful protesters, stop shutting the innocent people, stop eliminating the sheiia people, stop burning and destroying religious places and Holly Quarn. stop stealing and return back the Bahrain Financial Harbor which you (you means prime minister of Bahrain since 40 years in same position) bought it from government by 3$ only. stop deep corruption.

After we get our rights then we say to F1 welcome to Bahrain.

[Ali Hasan]

Big thanks 2 u for conducting f1 at Bahrain, we Bahraini people welcome u at 
Our Bahrain. 
I really respect ur decision. 
The Bahraini activists are as follow: 
Dr 
Lawyers 
Human rights activists
Teachers 
Journalists
Consultants 
Managers 
Students 
Merchants 
More and more 
All are humanitly insulted, jailed, beaten And etc
Bahrain now adays z like Bahrain 40 years back. 

I hope the peace return back to our kingdom and F1 back again 2. 

[abbas mohamed ali]

thank u 4 save our blod

[HUSSAIN ALI]

Bahraini people are very sad to hear this news after less than a week of knowing that the F1 will return to Bahrain.
All Bahrainis love motor sports especially F1.

There are no innocent people in prison here in Bahrain only if he(ahmad)considers people who killed policemen are innocent! As (Bahrain Free Lover) said all of this is schedualled by Iran and not from true Bahrainis.

[Bahrain For Suni Loyal and Royal]

These people who died only due to tear gas and they are very old to.
Not alot of them died may be one or 2 very old, and may be one small child
Also they are shiaa same as most people in Iran your Enemy and our enemy.
We are your friend.

[nader]

I AM PURE BAHRAINI
I LOVE MY COUNTRY AND MY NATION SUNNI AND SHAEI AND I RESPECT ALL RELEGIONS AND DOCTRINES
I LOVE ALL NATIONALITIES LIVE IN BAHRAIN
I LOVE FORMULA 1
I LOVEALL THE DRIVERS ALL ALL

BUT I DISLIKE KILLING PEOPLE I DISLIKE BAHRAIN TV
I DEIKIKE BAHRAIN NEWSPAPERS
I DISLIKE BLOOD WHICH MY GOVERNMENT LIKE
I LOVE YOU ALL
GREAT THANKS
GOD BLESS YOU

[elee of BH]

All Bahrain wants Formula 1. No such thing as tear gas and killings is going on Bahrain (those are all false reports). Please be fair to us. Listen to the story from both sides in order not to be misled. We deserve the chance to show that Bahrain is a peaceful country "as always has been" and "as always will be".

[Yousif Mohd]

Thanks for Standing with us,
we will never forgot that for you Bernie Ecclestone.

Greeting from Peaceful Bahrain Citizen

[faty]

Thank you for your cancellation Formula 1 We appreciate that you

[sara]

thank you for your help

the Bahrain nation will not forget this stand