AFC must be held to account if Bahraini refugee player is extradited from Thailand, says ex-Socceroos captain Craig Foster
- Asia’s governing body says talks with Fifa and Thai officials to release the player are ongoing
- Al-Araibi fled Bahrain in 2014 and fears torture and persecution should he be returned
Ex-footballer turned human rights activist, Craig Foster, said Asia’s governing body would be held to account if Australia-based Bahraini player Hakeem al-Araibi was extradited from Thailand to his home country, where he fears persecution and torture.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC), though, suggested that talks to release the player was preventing the body from providing more details.
Foster, a former Socceroos captain, said the AFC initial statement on Monday regarding Al-Araibi’s detention in a Thai jail pending extradition to Bahrain raised more questions than it answered.
In its statement, the AFC said: “We are working with Fifa and FAT [Football Association of Thailand] on this issue.”
Said Foster: “The response was brief and I think leaves the football community with some great concern and a vast number of questions about what is, and what is not, being done.