You'd think the Arabs would want to beat israelis "on all fronts."
Posted on 01/06/2007 8:27:19 PM PST by nuconvert
Bahrain athlete loses citizenship
6 January 2007
A Bahraini athlete who ran and won a marathon in Israel has been stripped of his citizenship. Authorities said Mushir Salem Jawher, who was born in Kenya but moved to Bahrain in 2003, had violated the laws of the country.
Israeli media said Mr Jawher was the first athlete from an Arab country to compete in an Israeli marathon.
Bahrain has no official ties with the Jewish state but Mr Jawher said he was "very proud" to have taken part.
''Shock and regret'
Following the race on Thursday, Israel's Jerusalem Post newspaper quoted Mr Jawher as saying Bahrain was a "free country" and "people should live together in harmony".
"When I decided to come I didn't know it was history for me to be here, but when I arrived [I was] told no other athlete had competed in Israel.
"For me, it was no problem and I hope to come back and compete next year," he said.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Bahrain's Athletic Union said it had received news that a Bahraini national had competed in Israel with "shock and regret".
A committee of sport and government authorities decided to strike Mr Jawher's name off the sport union records and revoke his Bahraini nationality, the statement said.
It said Mr Jawher entered Israel with his Kenyan passport and that the runner had "violated the laws of Bahrain".
Mr Jawher won the Tiberias Marathon in just over 2 hours and 13 minutes.
Muslims. Like Democrats, but less tolerant.
Bahraini still has Michael Jackson..
Dead Man Running.
hell they have not shot him
so thats a plus
Or:
Prosthesis wearing marathoner happy to be alive and participate.
So what? He can get US citizen ship which is better than Bahrain anyway.
ANYPLACE is better...They're supposed to be one of the "moderate" arab states IIRC.
Israel should offer him honorary citizenship...if for nothing else just to show the world how biggoted the Arabs really are.
I heard the democrats are blaming Israel for this. http://sacredscoop.com
Now Israel should return the gesture and grant the Kenyan citizenship. Which means that next sporting events in Israel would be inundated by Arabs in hope to lose their lousy passports and acquire Israeli ones...
You'd think the Arabs would want to beat israelis "on all fronts."
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.