Motor racing-Ukraine calls on FIA to reconsider lifting ban on competitors from Russia, Belarus
Ukraine Challenges FIA’s Decision to Allow Russian and Belarusian Drivers Back on the Grid
Bharatmorningnews.com – On August 18, Kyiv formally asked the International Automobile Federation to revisit its recent decision permitting athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete in international motorsport events under their national flags and anthems. The restriction, imposed after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, had been in effect for over two years before the FIA voted to remove it last week.
Kyiv’s Response: Surprise and a Direct Appeal
According to BBC reporting, Ukraine’s Minister of Youth and Sports sent a letter to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem asking that the council’s vote be reconsidered. The country’s own Automobile Federation issued a statement describing the FIA’s move as having “come as a complete surprise.”
FIA Defends the Vote
A federation spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday that eligibility requirements for drivers, teams, and officials from both nations had been revised following a vote of the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council.
“This follows an announcement by the IOC on 7th July and similar updates issued by other international sporting federations,” the spokesperson added.
The spokesperson also stressed that the ban on staging events and competitions within Russian and Belarusian territory remains fully intact.
“The FIA maintains its ban on organising events and competitions in Russia and Belarus. The FIA continues to monitor the situation closely in Ukraine and reserves the right to update its position in the future.”
Formula One Context
Russia, which once hosted a regular round of the Formula One championship in Sochi, has not put on a grand prix since 2021. The final Russian-born driver to appear on an F1 grid was Nikita Mazepin, whose seat was cut short when the American-owned Haas team terminated his contract in 2022. He has since raced in Middle Eastern series flying a neutral flag.
The broader Olympic backdrop matters here: last month the IOC provisionally lifted its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee, a step widely interpreted as easing Russia’s path back into the Olympic movement ahead of the Los Angeles Games. The FIA, which oversees Formula One, Formula 2, Formula 3, Formula E, the World Rally Championship, and numerous other international series, holds full IOC recognition status granted in 2013.
Moscow Celebrates
Boris Rotenberg, president of the Russian Automobile Federation, called the FIA’s announcement “an important day for Russian motorsport.” The oligarch, who remains on the European Union’s sanctions list and is a close associate of President Vladimir Putin, issued a statement on the RAF website.
“Sport and culture should be out of politics they are the ones that unite peoples.”
“Justice has triumphed. We are grateful to the International Automobile Federation for the constructive dialogue and are ready to jointly resolve all pressing issues.”
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