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.