Ukraine Lodges Formal FIA Complaint Over Russian Motorsport Federation Offices
Ukrainian Federation Challenges Russian Motorsport Activities in Disputed Territories
Aug 28 (Reuters) - The Automobile Federation of Ukraine (FAU) has lodged a formal complaint with motorsport's world governing body over what it said were breaches of FIA statutes by its Russian counterpart.
Background: FIA Lifts Ban on Russian and Belarusian Participants
The governing FIA this month lifted a ban, in place since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, on participants from Russia and Belarus competing with their own flags and anthems. Ukraine last week asked the FIA to reconsider that decision.
Details of the Complaint
Alleged Breaches of FIA Statutes
The FAU said it had now submitted a complaint to the FIA Ethics Committee on Thursday, requesting an urgent investigation into the Russian Automobile Federation (RAF) opening and operating offices in Crimea, the city of Sevastopol and the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.
Disputed Offices in Ukrainian Territory
It said the offices were in what was recognised as sovereign Ukrainian territory by the United Nations and in breach of FIA statutes which "provide that only one ASN (national sporting authority) may be recognised per country, with authority extending over that country's entire national territory."
"The FAU argues that by operating offices in Ukrainian territory, the RAF is unlawfully purporting to exercise sporting authority that belongs exclusively to the FAU," it added.
Requested Actions from the FIA Ethics Committee
"The complaint requests that the Ethics Committee open a formal investigation without delay, find the RAF in breach of the FIA Statutes, and direct the RAF to close the offices in question with immediate effect."
RAF’s Regional Structure and Leadership
RAF Offices in Disputed Regions
The RAF website lists, on a page detailing its regional structure, separate offices in the four locations mentioned including a Simferopol-based "motor sports federation in the Republic of Crimea". It was not clear how long they had been operational for.
RAF President and International Sanctions
The FAU statement also pointed out that RAF President Boris Rotenberg, an oligarch closely associated with Russian president Vladimir Putin, is subject to international sanctions.
Responses from Involved Parties
There was no immediate comment from the FIA or the RAF.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in LondonEditing by Toby Davis)
