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Is the European Grand Prix Coming to Azerbaijan a Good Thing?
Published: August 6, 2014
This announcement continues what is becoming a disturbing trend for F1: the addition of countries with authoritarian regimes and questionable human rights records to the calendar.
Azerbaijan's current president, Ilham Aliyev, was named the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project's Person of the Year in 2012. The citation noted that he "has been compared to a mafia crime boss in U.S. diplomatic cables, and is referred to as a dictator by many analysts."
The World Factbook produced by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) states that "Corruption in the country is widespread," while Human Rights Watch's (HRW) 2014 World Report found that "The Azerbaijani government’s poor record on freedom of expression, assembly, and association dramatically deteriorated during the year."
There is an old adage that it takes a lifetime to build a reputation and only a moment to lose it.
F1 has spent over 60 years building the value and reputation of its brand—the sport should not jeopardize those now for a few quick bucks.
At an FIA press conference before the Hungarian Grand Prix, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner complained about having to answer questions on the wisdom of F1 going to Baku, saying, "I think it’s wrong to make Formula One a political statement or subject when we are a sport."
Although he did not mean it that way, Horner was perfectly right. F1 should not be used as a political tool—but that is exactly what these corrupt governments are doing with the sport.
Authoritarian regimes have been willing to...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Formula 1
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