The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) expressed its deep concern over the continued targeting of athletes by the Bahraini authorities, and their ill-treatment.

Former Australia soccer captain Craig Foster will lobby officials at world governing body FIFA later on Monday for them to intervene on behalf of a Bahraini refugee player being detained in Thailand and facing deportation to his country.

The Asian Football Confederation said on Saturday that President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa had had no influence on their handling of the case of a Bahraini player arrested in Thailand in November over a prison sentence in his homeland.

Twitter account of Nabeel Rajab reported that detainee in Jaw Prison Mohammad Mirza, Bahrain�s champion in the Jiu Jitsu sport, started on Saturday (August 18, 2018) an open hunger strike in solidarity with prominent dissident Hasan Mushaima, who has been denied treatment by authorities since one a half years, despite suffering from cancer and chronic diseases.

Bahraini athletes imprisoned at Jaw Central Prison congratulated Gianni Infantino on his victory in the FIFA elections.