Ukraine Motorsport Federation Urges FIA to Sanction Russia

Ukraine’s national motorsport federation has called on the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) to impose sanctions on Russia’s motorsport authority over alleged violations of the governing body’s regulations.

The Federation of Automobile and Motorcycling of Ukraine accused the Russian Automobile Federation of establishing offices in areas of Ukraine that are currently under Russian occupation, including Crimea, Sevastopol and parts of the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.

In a statement posted on its X account on Wednesday, the Ukrainian federation said the territories are internationally recognised, including by the United Nations, as part of Ukraine’s sovereign territory.

The appeal comes after the FIA announced in August that it had lifted restrictions on Russian and Belarusian competitors, allowing them to participate in international motorsport under certain conditions.

The Ukrainian federation said it was frustrated by what it described as the FIA’s failure to respond to previous complaints. It claimed that earlier appeals submitted to the FIA Senate and Ethics Committee had not received a response.

The FAU has also taken the matter to the FIA International Court of Appeal and is seeking formal action against its Russian counterpart.

In a letter to FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FAU President Oleksander Feldman urged the organisation to address the allegations, warning that continued inaction could damage the credibility of the global motorsport governing body.

Feldman argued that failing to enforce the FIA’s rules could create a precedent in which member organisations feel free to disregard the governing body’s statutes and regulations.

The Ukrainian federation is calling for Russia’s FIA membership to be suspended, restrictions on Russian athletes’ participation in international competitions to be restored, and the FIA to publicly reject any attempt to transfer sporting authority in territories belonging to another member state.

Under FIA regulations, each country can be represented by only one recognised automobile club or national sporting authority.

The latest demand follows criticism from Ukraine’s Minister for Youth and Sport, Matvii Bidnyi, who also opposed the FIA’s decision to ease restrictions on Russian competitors.

Bidnyi argued that the circumstances that led to Russia’s exclusion from international sporting competitions had not changed, pointing to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and Belarus’ continued support for Moscow.

The dispute highlights the wider impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on international sport, with governing bodies continuing to face pressure over whether Russian and Belarusian athletes and organisations should be allowed to participate in global competitions.

The FIA’s handling of the issue is now facing renewed scrutiny as Ukraine seeks disciplinary action against Russia and challenges the legitimacy of its motorsport activities in occupied Ukrainian territories.

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