Amnesty urges Blues to address human rights on China tour

CHELSEA’S pre-season tour of Asia has hit further controversy after Amnesty International implored the club to address human rights issues during their trip to China.

The call from the prominent international lobby group comes on the same day as the Malaysian Football Association were forced to guarantee that manager Avram Grant and defender Tal Ben Haim would be allowed into the south-east Asian country, despite its refusal to recognise Israel.

Amnesty’s intervention comes amid concerns over China’s human rights record following the Beijing government’s treatment of independence protestors in Tibet — just months before the Chinese capital hosts the Olympic Games.

The Blues revealed yesterday the opening game of the Samsung Chelsea Asia Tour 2008 will be in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, against Super League side Guangzhou Pharmaceutical.

Amnesty believe it is only right that they should raise the issue of human rights during their time in China.

“If Chelsea really want to build a lasting legacy in China they should address the issue of human rights head on,” said Tim Hancock, campaigns director of Amnesty. “China’s human rights record is appalling. People in China cannot speak out without fear of reprisal so it’s up to others to do so for them.”

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon was in Kuala Lumpur yesterday to announce the Blues would play a Malaysian Selection side on July 29 as part of their Far East summer programme.

Questions have since been raised about whether Grant and defender Ben Haim would be permitted to enter Malaysia as the country has no diplomatic ties with Israel. But FAM deputy president Khairy Jamaluddin has downplayed those fears, citing the precedent set by the Israeli national cricket team’s participation in the 1997 ICC Trophy.

“Precedents have been set before,” said Khairy.