Lewis Hamilton says Formula 1 is "duty bound" to raise awareness for human right issues in countries such as Qatar. The peninsular Arab country's nomination in September as an F1 venue, and the subsequent ten-year contract it has signed with the sport, came as a surprise. But F1's increased presence in the Middle-East, with Qatar joining Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, is being denounced by various international organizations who believe that the sport's endeavors in the region only serve to sustain a relentless policy of sports washing, or the use of a sporting event to build a country's image and cover up human rights abuses. However, F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali...
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