The safe return to Australian soil of Hakeem al-Araibi, the Bahraini refugee footballer trapped in a Thai jail for the past three months, should be an inspiration for anyone who sees injustice but despairs of putting it right.

Mr Araibi, who served time in a Bahraini jail in a crackdown on dissent, escaped to Australia in 2014 and was granted refugee status. He was enjoying life in Melbourne, playing semi-professional soccer, but then he was put in jail when he went on a holiday to Thailand and faced deportation back to his tormentors in Bahrain.

Refugee footballer Hakeem al-Araibi with Craig Foster arrives back to Melbourne. Credit:Joe Armao

Former Socceroos star Craig Foster and a few others decided they must stop that happening. By lobbying and agitating, they eventually convinced the Australian government and the global soccer community to join the fight. From small beginnings they have now finally overcome the legal system of Thailand's military government and the corrupt power of Gulf oil money.

As the US anthropologist Margaret Mead put it: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."