Ukraine Appeals FIA Decision to Restore Russian and Belarusian Participation

Ukraine's government has asked the FIA to reconsider its decision to lift restrictions on Russian and Belarusian individuals taking part in international motorsport. BBC Sport reported that Ukraine's Minister of Youth and Sports sent a letter to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and the World Motor Sport Council seeking a review of the change.

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The FIA had imposed restrictions after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. According to the BBC, the governing body last week voted to welcome Russian and Belarusian drivers, competitors and officials back into international competition. The report said the decision was made by the council following a proposal from Ben Sulayem, citing multiple sources.

Ukraine's automobile federation said the reversal came as a complete surprise. In a statement seen by BBC Sport, it argued that allowing the return could damage the integrity of competitions and said the impact of the war on Ukrainian motorsport could not be ignored. The federation noted that competitors from the country had been killed during the conflict.

The FIA said it updated the requirements for Russian and Belarusian drivers, national teams, competitors and officials after a World Motor Sport Council vote. It linked the move to an International Olympic Committee announcement on July 7 and similar changes made by other international sports federations.

The governing body stressed that the policy change does not restore every form of Russian or Belarusian participation. The FIA said its ban on organizing events and competitions in Russia and Belarus remains in place. It also said it continues to monitor events in Ukraine and may revise its position again in the future.

Boris Romanovich Rotenberg, president of the Russian Automobile Federation, welcomed the decision in a statement published by his organization. He described the outcome as the product of diplomatic work and said restoration of the Russian federation's FIA membership returned Russia to decision-making in world motorsport. BBC Sport noted that Rotenberg is subject to sanctions in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Ukraine's appeal now places the issue back before the FIA leadership and the council that approved the change.