Ukraine calls for FIA to ban Russian and Belarusian drivers

Ukraine calls for FIA to ban Russian and Belarusian drivers

Nikita Mazepin

Russia’s attack on Ukraine has been a world-changing event. Its consequences are dire and tragic. A few of them are making their way into the world of sports. Now, the Ukraine motorsport body, FAU, in a letter to FIA, has called for a ban on drivers from Russia and Belarus. FIA’s President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, on personal and FIA’s behalf, has guaranteed support to the FAU. 

In football, UEFA has moved the UCL final from Moscow to Paris. The international governing body FIFA has condemned Russia’s actions but still has allowed the Russian team to participate under a different name, without an anthem, and at a neutral venue, in competitions, including the World Cup qualifiers. These regulations are similar to those imposed by International Olympic Committee. Russia’s competitors in qualifiers have boycotted the matches. 

In F1, it started with the removal of the Russian sponsor UralKali from the cars of the Haas F1 team. The removal of sponsorship has sparked the rumors of the team dropping its Russian driver Nikita Mazepin from the roster. A day later, F1 announced the dopping of Russian GP from F1’s 2022 calendar. 

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FAU’s requests to the FIA

FIA
FIA

FAU has made several requests to the FIA. One of the most significant ones includes the termination of all the license holders of those licenses issued by the RAF and the BAF. 

The requests, as reported by the Race, are:

  1. Ban the use of state symbols of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus – the aggressor countries – during FIA-organised and FIA-sanctioned competitions;
  2. To prohibit the holding of FIA-organised and FIA-sanctioned competitions in the territories of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus
  3. To prohibit the holding of RAF (Russian Automobile Federation)-organised and RAF-sanctioned competitions in the occupied territories of Ukraine
  4. To expel all the members of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus from the FIA
  5. To expel all the members representing the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus from FIA commissions.

It is to be noted that Nikita Mazepin competed under the flag of the Russian Automobile Federation in his rookie season, following the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2020. FIA is yet to take a call on these asks, but if the authority does decide to implement a few or all, it will have an impact on the motorsports ecosystem of the two mentioned countries. 

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