Formula One’s governing body, the FIA, has defied the prevailing opinion across sport in allowing Russian and Belarusian drivers to continue to compete, though under a neutral flag.
The decision is in direct contradiction to the International Olympic Committee and Fifa opting to completely ban their participation after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The FIA has decided drivers will be allowed to compete under an FIA flag.
The decision was made at an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council on Tuesday, called at short notice to address the invasion and how the sport should react, but rather than an expected ban the FIA’s resolution flies in the face of a clearly prevailing belief that sporting sanctions must be made to be felt.
A statement from the newly appointed FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, condemned the invasion and spoke of his sadness at events in Ukraine but stopped short of taking genuinely punitive action. He added: “We stand in solidarity with Leonid Kostyuchenko, the President of the Federation Automobile d’Ukraine and the wider FIA family in the country. The measures taken today recognise the authority of the FAU in Ukraine and are also aligned with the recommendations recently made by the International Olympic Committee.”
Russian and Belarusian flags, symbols or colours will not be allowed to be displayed or anthems played at events. Nor will Russia or Belarus be allowed to hold FIA events.
F1 currently has one Russian driver, Nikita Mazepin, who competes for Haas and whose father’s Russian chemical company Uralkali, is the title sponsor of the team. Mazepin will now be allowed to race this season alongside Michael Schumacher’s son Mick. Haas have yet to comment.
Last week F1 acted with unusual alacrity to cancel the scheduled Russian Grand Prix the day after the invasion occurred. The FIA did not make a statement at the time and today rather opaquely referred to the event being cancelled for reasons of “Force Majeure.”
However last week Sulayem did write to Kostyuchenko, whose response was swift and unequivocal as he called for a ban on Russian and Belarusian competitors from FIA events. The FIA’s response will be interpreted as weak and rightly draw criticism as the majority of the sporting world comes together, united against the aggression.
On Monday the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended that Russian and Belarusian competitors and officials be excluded from competition. The FIA has been a recognised federation of the IOC since 2012. Fifa and Uefa reacted to the IOC’s stance later on Monday by suspending all Russian national and club teams from competing in their events.
