Bahraini defender Sayed Mohamed Adnan is leaving the A-League champion Brisbane Roar and is planning a return to the Gulf.
The 29-year-old Adnan did not return to Australia after an off-season break and the Roar confirmed Monday that he'd opted to remain in the Gulf region for family reasons.
Adnan joined Brisbane on a one-year deal last August after leaving Bahrain to avoid persecution for his alleged involvement in anti-government protests.
''Mohamed has moved on,'' new Brisbane Roar head coach Rado Vidosic said. ''I am not sure where he'll be playing yet, but we wish him all the best.
''He was a very important part of our team last season.''
Adnan, a Shiite Muslim, was one of several players excluded from Bahrain's World Cup qualifying squad after being detained for taking part in protests against the Gulf nation's Sunni rulers. He was banned by his Bahrain club last year, making him unavailable for selection in the national team.
He had scored 13 goals in 79 appearances for Bahrain and was a runner-up in the 2009 Asian Player of the Year awards.
Adnan's ban in Bahrain was part of a widespread government crackdown on dissent that resulted in the detention of journalists, bloggers, doctors, lawyers, activists and athletes.
Many of the athletes have had charges against them withdrawn. During his stint in Brisbane, Adnan spoke of his desire to return to play for Bahrain and said he'd been in contact with former teammates from the national squad.
