How free is free? - Good Muslim Country or Mad Muslim Country?

Question

Athlete stripped of Bahraini citizenship for competing in Israeli marathon.

Runner Mushir Salem Jawher was stripped of Bahraini citizenship after competing in and winning Israeli marathon. Bahraini Athletic Union receives news of competition with 'shock and regret'.

The Jerusalem Post cited Jawher as saying he was "very proud" to have run in Israel. Even though Bahrain has no official ties with the Jewish state, "It is a free country," the athlete was quoted as saying.


Associated Press Published: 01.06.07, 22:03

Authorities have revoked the Bahraini citizenship of a Kenyan-born athlete who ran in an Israeli marathon, the nation's athletic union said Saturday.

Bahraini runner Mushir Salem Jawher competed and won the Tiberias Marathon in Israel on Thursday, ending the race in just over 2 hours and 13 minutes.

Bahrain's Athletic Union said in a statement Saturday that it had received the news that a Bahraini national competed in Israel with "shock"

Answer 1

I guess being free in a muslim country is not the same as being free in a western democracy. Islamic countries are not the freedom centres they proclaim themselves to be otherwise we would not have all these suppressed, oppressed, and depressed immigrants flowing into western countries looking for a better life. They proclaim that the koran has all these liberties "in theory"...but in practice we see and experience a totally different picture.

I say mad muslim country pretending to be a good country.

Answer 2

I am not surprised by the step taken by the Bahrain government. You have to dig deep into the Arab-Israeli conflict to really understand how strong it is. The athlete is probably perceived as a traitor to his country by competing in Israel.

It is all about politics, Arab countries do not recognize Israel and by participating in such an event, the athlete has breached his country's social and political values.

Another interesting example is U.S ban on travel, business etc with Cuba. I would certainly categorize it as the above case of political sanction.