Phnom Penh (FN), Dec. 19 – Cambodian football journalists, coaches, and fans have strongly reacted to Brad Adams, executive director of Human Rights Watch (HRW)'s Asia Division, for linking football sport to politics, which is a serious violation to FIFA's regulations.

Coaches and fans urged Brad to study the law clearly to avoid being mistaken, which also affected sport sector and international law.

“It is a complete mistake of HRW to link Honda to General Sokha on behalf of President of Football Federation of Cambodia (FFC),” Prak Sovannara, former coach of Cambodian national team, stated.
“Recognized by FIFA, Honda, an internal footballer, and President of FFA Gen. Sokha are not related to politics,” he added.

In the Radio Free Asia’s recent report entitled “HRW slams Japanese football star for working with Red-hand Official” released on 18 December, HRW said Keisuke Honda is now "linked" with the president of the FFC General Sao Sokha.

"Sao Sokha has admitted to playing a key role in Hun Sen's bloody 1997 coup d'etat as the Commander of the Royal Khmer Gendarmerie," HRW said in a letter to Honda.

Keisuke Honda is a Japanese professional footballer who plays for Australian club Melbourne Victory and also general manager and coach of the Cambodia national team, who was appointed late August.
=FRESH NEWS