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REFUGEE FOOTBALLER, AL-ARAIBI SET TO RETURN TO AUSTRALIA AFTER BAHRAIN DROPS EXTRADITION REQUEST

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BY LIAM MORGAN

Refugee footballer Hakeem Al-Araibi is set to return to Australia today after Bahrain withdrew a request to extradite him amid widespread pressure and an international campaign for his release.

A court in Thailand, where he had been detained for the past 70 days, approved a request to drop the proceedings against him.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed Al-Araibi has been released from prison and is due to fly home to Australia, where he has refugee status, later today.

“This morning the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed us that Bahrain was no longer interested in this request,” Thailand’s Office of the Attorney General foreign office chief Chatchom Akapin said.

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Today’s announcement is considered a surprise as Al-Araibi, who appeared at a criminal court hearing last week, was expected to remain in jail for the next 60 days as his lawyers prepared his case against extradition.

Bahrain had previously remained defiant on its extradition request, with interior minister Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah al-Khalifa claiming “external interference in the internal affairs of Bahrain is unacceptable” after a campaign was launched for his safe return to Australia.

Al-Araibi was fearful he would be tortured or even killed if he was ordered to return to Bahrain as he had been a vocal critic of its regime.

He fled Bahrain in 2014 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison that year for allegedly vandalising a police station during Arab Spring protests in the Gulf country, charges he strongly denies.

Former Australia international Craig Foster, who led the campaign, thanked Thailand for allowing Al-Araibi to be released.

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“My thanks go to the wonderful people of Thailand for your support and to Thai Govt for upholding international law,” he wrote on Twitter. 

“Most important thing now is Hakeem’s immediate wellbeing. 

“Sure Embassy staff will take care of him, there’ll be tears there tonight, as there are in our household right now. 

“This is significant win for humanity, people everywhere standing up for good, pushing back against regimes who flout international law, for human rights.”

In a statement, Football Federation Australia (FFA) chairman Chris Nikou said the governing body “was extremely grateful to the Governments of Thailand and Bahrain for taking the decision to allow Hakeem to return to Australia”.

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The FFA was initially criticised for its initially slow response to the situation.

FIFA also issued a statement following the news, stating it was “extremely pleased” to see Al-Araibi released from prison.

“This is the outcome we have worked for together with a broad coalition of human rights organisations, governments and the wider football community over the past two months,” world football’s governing body said.

“We would like to sincerely thank everyone who has contributed to this outcome and, in particular, the relevant public authorities for doing the right thing and bringing Hakeem’s ordeal to an end. 

“We wish Hakeem a safe return to his family and hope he will be able to resume his footballing career soon.”

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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International Football

German Thomas Tuchel becomes 3rd foreign manager for England

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 - Bayern Munich v VfL Wolfsburg - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - May 12, 2024 Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel looks on before the match REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth/File Photo

Former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has been named the new head coach of the England national team, the country’s Football Association said in a statement on Wednesday.

The German, who is England’s third foreign manager, after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello, will be assisted by Englishman Anthony Barry, the statement added.

“We are thrilled to have hired Thomas Tuchel, one of the best coaches in the world and Anthony Barry who is one of the best English coaches to support him,” FA CEO Mark Bullingham said.

Tuchel replaces Lee Carsley, England’s under-21 manager, who has been in temporary charge since the resignation of Gareth Southgate after England’s defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final in July.

-Reuters

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Factbox on England head coach Thomas Tuchel

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Champions League - Bayern Munich Training - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - May 7, 2024 Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel on the pitch during a walk around REUTERS/Juan Medina/File Photo

German Thomas Tuchel has been appointed head coach of the England national team on Wednesday.

Born: Aug. 29, 1973 in Krumbach, Germany.

PLAYING CAREER

* Tuchel played for his local club TSV Krumbach, before moving to FC Augsburg’s academy at the age of 15.

* He never played for Augsburg’s senior side and joined German second division team Stuttgarter Kickers in 1992.

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* After eight league appearances for Kickers, Tuchel moved to fourth-tier SSV Ulm.

* Tuchel made 69 league appearances for Ulm as a central defender before he was forced to retire in 1998 at the age of 25 due to a knee injury.

COACHING CAREER

* Tuchel began his coaching career with a youth team role at VfB Stuttgart in 2000, working with future Germany internationals Mario Gomez and Holger Badstuber.

* He returned to Augsburg and took charge of their reserve team for the 2007-08 season.

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* Tuchel was appointed Mainz 05 manager in 2009, replacing compatriot Juergen Klopp.

* He guided Mainz to Bundesliga stability during his five-year stint at the club, gaining plaudits for his team’s high energy, attacking style of play.

* Tuchel took over from Klopp as Borussia Dortmund coach in 2015.

* He led Dortmund to a 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2017 German Cup final. He was sacked by Dortmund three days later.

* Tuchel joined Paris St Germain in 2018 on a two-year contract, replacing Unai Emery.

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* He won two Ligue 1 titles, including a domestic quadruple in his second season, and guided the club to their first Champions League final, where they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich.

* Tuchel was sacked by PSG on Christmas Eve in 2020, despite the club finishing top of their Champions League group and sitting third in the Ligue 1 table.

* He was named Chelsea manager in January 2021 on an initial 18-month contract following the dismissal of Frank Lampard.

* Tuchel revived the team’s Premier League season and guided the London club to the Champions League final, where they beat Manchester City. Chelsea also won the Super Cup and Club World Cup.

* Chelsea sacked Tuchel in September 2022 following a shock 1-0 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb in their opening Champions League group game.

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* Bayern Munich appointed Tuchel to succeed Julian Nagelsmann in March last year.

* Bayern decided to let Tuchel go at the end of the 2023-24 season despite a contract until 2025. Tuchel steered Bayern to the Bundesliga title in 2022-23, but they finished the last campaign without any silverware for the first time in more than a decade.

* Tuchel will become England’s third foreign manager after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello.

* Tuchel will take over the team in January ahead of the qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup.

-Reuters

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Portugal call up same player named in England Under-18 squad

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Mateus Mane in England's colour

Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Mateus Mane has become hot property after Portugal named the 17-year-old in their Under-18 squad on Friday, one day after England included him in their squad.

Mane was called up for a second successive England youth camp by coach Liam Bramley before the team travel to Marbella for a four-team tournament this month.

Mane is eligible for both teams having played for the Portugal Under-17 side last season. As the Under-18 team is a non-UEFA age group, both nations are entitled to call the player up.

He made his England international debut last month against the Portugal Under-18 side who have named Mane in their squad for a four-nation tournament this month.

With both tournaments running concurrently, Mane can only play for one team and Wolves and England confirmed he would feature in Bramley’s side.

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Reuters has contacted Portugal’s football association for clarification.

While players with multiple nationalities have played for more than one country if they are eligible, they are not allowed to switch allegiances at senior level – unless they have played only in friendly matches for the first country.

-Reuters

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