FIA faces complaint following Russian driver restrictions lift

A complaint has been lodged with the FIA’s Ethics Committee by the Automobile Federation of Ukraine, following a World Motor Sport Council decree to lift restrictions on Russian and Belarusian drivers and competitors.

A letter detailing the complaint has been sent to the FIA, in which the Ukrainian motoring authority has called upon the governing body to open a formal investigation into its Russian counterpart.

Federation Automobile d’Ukraine files FIA complaint against Russian Automobile Federation

The letter, dated August 27th and seen by PlanetF1.com, has been sent to the FIA and centres on a formal complaint lodged with the Ethics Committee over the Russian Automobile Federation’s operations in occupied Ukrainian territory.

The Federation Automobile d’Ukraine [FAU], as the national sporting authority [ASN] for the country, has called upon the FIA to launch an “urgent investigation” into its Russian counterpart, the Russian Automobile Federation [RAF].

The FAU’s allegation is that the RAF has opened and continues to operate offices in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the city of Sevastopol, and the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts, territories it says are recognised as sovereign Ukrainian territory by the United Nations.

In doing so, 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”.

This, it says, is in clear breach of Article 3.3 of the FIA Statutes, which states one ASN per country, and Article 1.4.1 of the International Sporting Code, which says, “One ASN shall be recognised by the FIA as sole international sporting power for the enforcement of the Code and control of motor sport throughout the territories placed under the authority of its own country.”

The complaint also points to how the RAF’s president, Boris Rotenberg, remains under international sanctions imposed by the US, UK, and the EU, following the commencement of military action by President Vladimir Putin against Ukraine four years ago.

“Boris Rotenberg is a prominent Russian businessman with close personal ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin,” says the UK’s sanctioned individuals list.

“[He] is a major shareholder of SMP Bank and sits on its Board of Directors and, therefore, is or has been involved in obtaining a benefit from or supporting the Government of Russia by virtue of owning or controlling directly or indirectly” or “working as a director” or “equivalent” at SMP Bank which is a Russian Government affiliated-entity which obtains a financial benefit or other material benefit from the Government of Russia and is carrying out business in the finance sector which is a sector of strategic significance to the Government of Russia.”

The complaint from the FAU has called upon the Ethics Committee to open a formal investigation into the RAF, find it in breach of FIA statutes, and direct the Russian authority to close the offices.

“This is a clear breach of the FIA Statutes by the Russian Automobile Federation, which, as an FIA member organisation, is bound to comply with them,” said Oleksandr Fel`dman, President of the Federation Automobile d’Ukraine.

“We urge the FIA President to take urgent action to have these offices closed, and for the Russian Automobile Federation to be sanctioned for its actions.”

The letter closes by saying, “The FAU has asked the FIA Ethics Committee to treat the matter as urgent, given the ongoing nature of the alleged breach, and has offered to provide any further documentation or evidence required to support the investigation.”

The complaint comes off the back of the FIA lifting restrictions on Russian drivers and competitors, in a circular from the World Motor Sport Council [WMSC] dated August 13 but which came into effect on August 3.

Following the imposition of emergency measures applicable to the aforementioned, which included restrictions on their participation by way of requiring a signed commitment of neutrality; effectively a denouncement of Putin’s and Russia’s actions.

Other restrictions also included a ban on the display of any Russian or Belarusian symbols, colours, or flags. These restrictions have now been lifted by the WMSC.

“Russian and Belarusian drivers, national teams, individual competitors and officials are allowed to participate in international/zone competitions without any restrictions,” the WMSC said.

“The requirement of signing a commitment to neutrality no longer applies.

“The display of Russian and Belarusian national symbols, colours, flags (uniform, equipment and car), and the playing of their anthems are permitted at international/zone competitions.”

The status of holding any FIA events in Russian or Belarusian territory remains unchanged.

The restrictions affected top-level entrants such as WEC’s G-Drive team, as well as drivers Sergey Sirotkin, Roman Rusinov, and former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat, all of whom raced under an RAF licence. In Formula 1, Nikita Mazepin had been due to race for Haas in 2022, but was replaced before the season by Kevin Magnussen.

Of the above, only Kvyat has continued racing in FIA-sanctioned championships since, having swapped to an Italian licence after spending most of his formative years in the country.

With Mazepin’s father, Dmitry, also a sanctioned individual, the driver went to court in the EU and UK to have his associated sanctions lifted, an endeavour in which he ultimately succeeded in 2024.

“The FIA has updated the requirements for Russian and Belarusian drivers, national teams, competitors and officials following a vote by the World Motor Sport Council,” an FIA spokesperson said, following a request for comment from PlanetF1.com.

“This follows an announcement by the IOC on 7th July and similar guidance updates issued by other international sporting federations. The FIA maintains its ban on organising events and competitions in Russia and Belarus.

“The FIA continues to monitor the situation closely in Ukraine and reserves the right to update its position in the future.”

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