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The rumors that Baku will host the European grand prix Formula One in 2016 were confirmed last week. This continues the disturbing trend of F1 being held in countries with authoritarian regimes and questionable human rights records. This is written in the article published by an American sport news website Bleacher Report.

“Azerbaijan's current president, Ilham Aliyev, was named the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project's Person of the Year in 2012. The citation noted that he has been compared to a mafia crime boss in U.S. diplomatic cables, and is referred to as a dictator by many analysts," reads the publication.

It is also noted that according to the Human Rights Watch (HRW) report, the Azerbaijani government has a poor record of fundamental human rights which is dramatically deteriorating.

The authors of the article note that F1 has spent over 60 years building the value and reputation of its brand and that it should not jeopardize it now for a few quick bucks.

At an FIA press conference before the Hungarian Grand Prix, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said that it is wrong to make Formula One a political tool. “Although he did not mean it that way, Horner was perfectly right. F1 should not be used as a political tool—but that is exactly what these corrupt governments are doing with the sport,” notes the sports website.

According to the article authoritarian regimes have been willing to pay a premium for their race-hosting fee to gain the perceived legitimacy that comes with hosting a major international event.

It also notes that if the F1 does end up in Baku in 2016, millions of television viewers will likely see a glittering city, however, those images will come at a real cost for residents of the city.

The HRW report states that the government continued its urban renewal campaign in the capital Baku, forcibly evicting hundreds of families without adequate compensation. “Torture and ill-treatment persists with impunity," writes HRW.

It is no good for F1 to be associated with such an image, the authors of the article believe. Still they think there is potential for some positive outcomes if the grand prix is held in Azerbaijan - the media coverage could help to shine a light on some of the government's abuses in this country.