A Human Rights Watch staffer said Wednesday he was barred from entering Bahrain for the annual Fifa congress in the Gulf state, which restricts access to foreign activists and journalists.

A Human Rights Watch activist said Wednesday that Bahrain has barred him from entering the tiny island nation for the annual FIFA congress as the kingdom continues a wide-scale crackdown on dissent.

A German website that the Bahraini authorities have barred German reporter from entering the country to attend the FIFA Congress without mentioning any apparent justification.

The Government of Bahrain welcomed in a statement on Monday (May 8, 2017) the hosting of the congress of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) which is held in Bahrain with participation of an Israeli delegation.

The Government of Bahrain is supposed to host an Israeli delegation on Thursday (May 11, 2017) to take part in the FIFA congress meetings.

Bahrain has offered to host the next FIFA congress, officially allowing Israelis entry to the country. This move shows that the government just wants to take further steps towards normalization with Tel Aviv.

Head of the Bahraini Society Against Normalization, Jamal al-Hassan, said that accepting a Zionist delegation to enter Bahrain and normalizing with it on the pretext of hosting the FIFA congress is “totally rejected”.

President of the Bahrain Football Association (BFA), Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa stressed that the Israeli Football Association (IFA) will take part in the Congress FIFA meeting that will be held in Bahrain on May 11, 2017.

The Bahraini Society Against Normalization with the Zionist enemy refused to host the FIFA Congress, after Malaysia refused, because two Israelis will be taking part in the event.

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

The Bahraini FIFA presidential candidate, Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, lost to the Swiss Gianni Infantino in the FIFA elections that took place in the Switzerland’s Zurich on Friday (February 27, 2016).

As the organization that governs global soccer gathers this week to choose a new president, a leading contender risks stirring up another source of controversy for the sport: human rights, reports the New York Times.

Several European newspapers launched severe attacks against the member of the ruling family in Bahrain, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, who is considered to be the prominent candidate for FIFA presidency, in the exceptional elections held in Zurich, Switzerland.

International Business Times said that FIFA is facing calls to publish the "integrity checks" it carried out on its presidential candidates after the front runner was once again accused of doing nothing to protect players and coaches involved in 2011's anti-government protests in Bahrain.

Bahrain Mirror (Reuters): British Member of Parliament Damian Collins used parliamentary privilege on Tuesday to accuse FIFA presidential candidate Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of taking development project funds to finance an election bid.

Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): Days after the English Football Association criticized Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa's candidacy, the German Football Association announced that it will not vote for Salman over involvement in violating human rights of athletes in 2011.

The English Football Association chairman Greg Dyke criticized Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa’s candidacy for FIFA over probably being involved in human rights violations in Bahrain.

Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): The German Bild newspaper mocked the Bahraini Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim's announcement to run for FIFA presidency, over suspicions of his involvement in the torture of a number of athletes in a campaign launched by the Bahraini regime against protestors in 2011.

Bahrain Mirror: The executive director of Human Rights Watch, Kenneth Roth, said to the IBT (International Business Times) that “Fifa will sink even lower than its nadir under Blatter if it elects Salman.”

Bahrain Mirror: The President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Vice President of the International Football Federation (FIFA) Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa announced on Monday (October 26, 2015) that he submitted an official application to run for FIFA presidency in the elections set to be held at the extraordinary meeting of the federation's General Assembly in Zurich, Switzerland, on February 26.