Ukraine’s national motorsport authority has called on FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to take action against the Russian Automobile Federation (RAF), accusing it of operating offices in Ukrainian territories recognised internationally as part of Ukraine.
The Federation Automobile Ukrainienne (FAU) claims that the Russian federation has established offices in Crimea, Sevastopol, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia. According to the Ukrainian body, such activity breaches FIA regulations.
The appeal comes shortly after the FIA decided to lift restrictions on Russian and Belarusian competitors in motorsport. The FAU has criticised what it describes as a lack of action from motorsport’s global governing body.
The Ukrainian federation says it has already approached the FIA Senate and Ethics Committee but has not received a response. It has also taken the matter to the FIA International Court of Appeal.
FAU president Oleksander Feldman has now written directly to Ben Sulayem, warning that continued inaction could damage the FIA’s reputation and create a wider precedent for members to disregard the organisation’s rules.
The Ukrainian authority argues that the issue goes beyond the dispute between the two national federations, claiming that enforcement of FIA regulations is important for maintaining the governing body’s authority and credibility.
The appeal places further pressure on the FIA as it continues to deal with the political and sporting consequences surrounding Russian and Belarusian participation in international motorsport.
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