FIFA supports case of detained Bahraini soccer player

In this Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018, image from video, Hakeem Ali Mohamed Ali AlAraib speaks at Bangkok International Airport, Thailand. Australian officials raised with Thai authorities the plight of the Australia-based refugee professional soccer player who was detained in Bangkok and fears deportation to his native Bahrain, Australia's foreign minister said Friday, Nov. 30, 2018. Rights groups are urging Thai authorities not to deport AlAraib to his homeland, where he faces imprisonment for what his supporters say are political reasons. AlAraib was detained at the airport on Tuesday. (SBS via AP)

ZURICH (AP) — FIFA says it wants a soccer player who has refugee status in Australia to return to the country "at the earliest possible moment" rather than be extradited from Thailand to Bahrain.

Former Bahrain international Hakeem Al-Araibi was detained at Bangkok airport last week. An Interpol warrant for his arrest was issued in apparent violation of rules protecting refugees.

World soccer's ruling body FIFA says it now expects his case "to be solved in accordance with well-established international standards," and has asked Australian soccer officials to urgently "take the matter up with their government."

Australian authorities said last week that embassy officials in Bangkok were working on the case.

Rights activists say Al-Araibi was tortured after being arrested in 2012. He fled to Australia which gave him political asylum.

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