- Austria’s national motoring club warns the FIA is in a ‘dark period of democratic backsliding’
- Ben Sulayem is currently only confirmed candidate standing for election in December
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has passed controversial amendments to its statutes.
In May, it emerged that FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem had proposed various revisions, including bringing forward the deadline for candidates for December’s presidential election, which would reduce the time for potential candidates to pull together their campaign.
Those amendments have been voted through by 83.35 per cent to 16.65 per cent. Further changes to the governing body’s ethics code received an even greater majority at 88.83 per cent.
The result came despite criticism from representatives of the UK, Belgium, Portugal, Switzerland, and Austria, who all supported the latter’s notion to postpone the vote so the FIA could conduct a ‘proper review and analysis’ before a decision was made.
This notion was featured in a letter sent by Austria’s national motoring club, the OAMTC, to the FIA World Council for Automobile Mobility and Tourism (WCAMT) before Thursday’s vote at the FIA’s General Assembly in Macau, warning that the organisation is in a ‘dark period of democratic backsliding’.
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The letter also added that Ben Sulayem’s actions ‘are inviting comparisons with the excesses of political leaders intent on deconstructing the checks and balances that come with responsible governance’.
“We brought forward the motion to postpone the vote on the changes to a future assembly as we believe that they inherit some consequences which desire more discussion,” OAMTC chief executive Oliver Schmerold told BBC Sport after the vote passed.
“This was supported by several other members. The president underlined that the statutory process has been followed and asked for the vote.
“We still believe that it is not good governance to change the longstanding rules for elections only four months before the submission deadline for candidates.”
The OAMTC letter also hints at legal action in the wake of the decision as it was ‘endorsed by (FIA) world council meetings that were not properly constituted, having intentionally excluded elected members from participating and voting’.
Motorsport UK chair David Richards was one of those members who was barred from taking part in a meeting of the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) after electing against signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
Ben Sulayem’s current term as president ends in December and he is the only confirmed candidate standing for election at the time of writing. Rally legend Carlos Sainz Sr is said to be considering putting his name forward but is yet to make a final decision.
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