Ukraine minister condemns Motorsport’s decision to lift Russian ban

Ukraine's Minister for Youth and Sports, Matvii Bidnyi, has strongly criticized the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) for lifting its ban on Russian and Belarusian competitors in motorsport. The FIA made the decision on August 3, following a similar move by the International Olympic Committee. Bidnyi argues that the reasons for the original ban, which were introduced in February 2022 due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, still hold true.

He emphasizes that Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine, Belarus's military support for Russia, and the increasing brutality of Russian attacks continue despite the lifting of the sanctions. Bidnyi also expressed disappointment in other sports organizations that have maintained stricter restrictions on Russian participation.

He condemned Russia's use of elite sports as a tool for state propaganda, referring to it as "sportswashing." The Ukrainian government has reported the devastating impact of the war on the country's sporting community, including the loss of lives and the destruction of sports facilities. The FIA maintains that it will continue to ban events and competitions in Russia and Belarus while monitoring the situation in Ukraine, but Bidnyi believes that lifting the restrictions prematurely undermines the collective international pressure against Russia.