Bahraini athlete ran against Israeli runner

Manama: A Bahraini non-governmental organisation (NGO) dedicated to resisting all forms of normalisation with Israel has called for stringent action against officials who allowed an athlete to compete against an Israeli runner in the world track and field junior championships last month.

"We were shocked by the news that Bahrain's track association had not moved in time to withdraw a Bahraini athlete from a running competition that included a runner from the Zionist entity," the Bahrain Society for Resisting Normalisation with the Zionist Entity said.

Action

"We want the sports association to explain what happened and to take action against all those who allowed this dangerous development to take place. The popular stance against Israel is very clear and there can be no opportunity, no matter how small it is, to open up channels with the entity that is occupying Arab lands," Abdullah Abdul Malek, the society spokesman, said in a statement.

The Bahraini athlete competed in the IAAF World Junior Championships held in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, on July 19 to 25

The society vehemently opposes any form of political, social, economic or sports contact with the Israelis. In May it took a strong stance against the possibility of holding a football match between Bahrain and Palestine near occupied Jerusalem, claiming the Bahraini players would have to go through Israeli customs and police.

Attempts by Palestinian officials to encourage Bahrain to go ahead with the match amid assurances that the team would not have any contact with the Israelis were unsuccessful.

"Now, all NGOs, civil and political societies and sports clubs should come forth in condemning the participation of a Bahraini athlete alongside Israelis," the spokesman said. "Parliament has been clear about such situations."

The society said that it was sending an official letter to the athletics association to protest against the participation.

Bahrain, like most Arab countries, has no diplomatic relations with Israel.

In 2007, Bahrain took strong action against an athlete who ran and won a marathon in Israel without permission, stripping him of his citizenship.

Manama said that Mushir Salem Jawaher, who was born in Kenya but moved to Bahrain in 2003, had violated the laws of the country.

Mushir, whose original name was Leonard Mucheru, was the first athlete from an Arab country to compete in an Israeli marathon.