Ukraine appeals to FIA to overturn Russia inclusion
Ukraine's government appeals against FIA's decision to welcome back Russian and Belarussian drivers.
The Ukrainian government has penned a letter to the FIA, imploring them to rescind the decision to lift the ban on Russian competitors in international motorsport events. The FIA recently lifted a ban on individuals from Russia and Belarus participating in such events, a ban that had been in place since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
A Ukrainian automobile federation official revealed that the country's Minister of Youth and Sports had penned a letter to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, requesting a reconsideration of the sanctions decision. The decision was allegedly made by the FIA World Motor Sport Council upon Ben Sulayem's behest. The Ukrainian federation was caught off guard by this move, stating that it may have a counterproductive effect in maintaining competition integrity.
The federation emphasized that their motorsport sector has suffered significant losses due to Russia's full-scale aggression, with many competitors losing their lives in the conflict. The FIA, however, maintains its ban on organizing events and competitions in Russia and Belarus, while closely monitoring the situation. The president of the Russian automobile federation, Boris Romanovich Rotenberg, defended the decision, attributing it to the RAF's diplomatic efforts and defending the interests of his country.
He expressed gratitude to the FIA for the constructive dialogue and readiness to jointly solve pressing issues.
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