‘All complaints are addressed robustly’ FIA respond to latest sexism allegations against Mohammed Ben Sulayem

This is the second instance of the President of the FIA coming under fire, with no action having been taken


‘All complaints are addressed robustly’ FIA respond to latest sexism allegations against Mohammed Ben Sulayem

Mohammed Ben Sulayem via Terra

The FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, has once again faced allegations of sexism in relation to the reported humiliation of a former employee, Shaila-Ann Rao. Rao had made the allegations in a letter where she expressed several instances of being a victim of sexist behavior and bullying.

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The previous instance of the President being accused resulted from a quote he made, namely, “not like women who think they are smarter than men… for they are not, in truth.” The FIA dealt with this by explicitly declaring that they, along with Ben Sulayem, didn’t share these views in an effort to absolve themselves of any liabilities. In this instance, the FIA has once again responded in a diplomatic manner.

The statement read, “There have been no complaints received against the president. The FIA takes allegations of abuse very seriously and addresses all complaints using robust and clear procedures. As part of this, the FIA has an anti-harassment policy, an anonymous whistleblowing facility and an investigation procedure and all staff are made aware of these through an induction and regular training.”

Despite several sources having testified to Ann Rao’s claims, the FIA insists that no complaints were lodged against Ben Sulayem.  With regard to the circumstances of Rao’s resignation, the FIA stated, “Due process was followed, with an amicable negotiation conducted by the president of the senate and, as such, no referrals were made to the ethics committee. As previously stated, both parties agreed she would leave her position in November 2022 and mutual privacy terms were agreed, as is common business practice.”

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Related: FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem under fire again: Accused of sexism and bullying

The FIA has taken steps to advocate for the inclusivity of women, but it is still inadequate

Susie Wolff via Autoweek
Susie Wolff (via Autoweek)

Sexism allegations have been a persistent issue in F1, and the sport has faced criticism for its lack of diversity and inclusivity. The sport has historically been male-dominated, with very few women in leadership positions, and women drivers have been a rare sight on the grid. In recent years, there has been growing pressure on F1 to become more diverse and inclusive.

In response, the sport has taken steps to address these issues. For example, the FIA established the Women in Motorsport Commission in 2009 to promote gender equality and provide opportunities for women in motorsport. The commission works to develop and support female drivers, engineers, and officials.

F1 has also introduced various initiatives to increase diversity. One of them is the W Series, a women-only racing series that aims to help female drivers develop their skills and increase their visibility. The FIA has also launched the #3500LIVES campaign to promote gender equality in motorsport and raise awareness about road safety.

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Despite these efforts, there is still a long way to go to address sexism and gender discrimination in F1. In 2023, former Williams F1 driver Susie Wolff called on the sport to do more to promote diversity and inclusivity, stating that “there are not enough women in senior leadership positions, and that has to change.”

The F1 Academy, set to debut this year, is a recent addition to motorsport with a focus on nurturing young female drivers for advanced levels of competition. The competition will feature five separate teams, each managed by current constructors from F2 or F3. Each team will enter three cars per race, resulting in a 15-car grid, and the official schedule will be announced later.

F1 has also faced criticism for handling specific incidents involving sexism, such as when the CEO of the sport, Bernie Ecclestone, made controversial comments about female drivers in 2016. While Ecclestone later apologized for his comments, many felt that F1 should have taken a stronger stance against sexism and that he deserved to face consequences nonetheless.

Overall, while Formula One has taken steps to become more inclusive and address sexism and gender discrimination, there is still much work to be done to ensure that the sport truly welcomes everyone, regardless of gender. We can only hope that one day, the sport will progress to this level where cases such as that of Shaila Ann Rao do not appear again.

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