Ukraine asks FIA to reverse return of Russian and Belarusian competitors

Ukraine's government has formally asked the FIA to reverse its decision to allow Russian and Belarusian individuals to return to international motorsport competition. BBC Sport reports that Ukraine's Minister of Youth and Sports wrote to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem requesting reconsideration of the policy change approved last week.

Watch the highlights:

The FIA had barred individuals from Russia and Belarus from international motorsport events after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Its World Motor Sport Council has now voted to update the requirements applying to drivers, national teams, competitors and officials from the two countries. BBC Sport said multiple sources indicated that the council acted at Ben Sulayem's request.

The head of Ukraine's automobile federation confirmed the minister's appeal in a statement seen by BBC Sport. The federation said the FIA decision was unexpected and argued that Ukrainian motorsport's wartime losses must be considered. It also acknowledged that the change is consistent with recent International Olympic Committee decisions, while warning that its application in motorsport could affect competition integrity.

The FIA said its revised position followed a July 7 announcement by the IOC and comparable changes from other international sports federations. The governing body stressed that Russia and Belarus still cannot organise FIA events or competitions. It said it continues to monitor events in Ukraine and may update its position again in the future.

Russian Automobile Federation president Boris Romanovich Rotenberg welcomed the move and credited his organisation's diplomatic work with the FIA. Rotenberg, who is on sanctions lists in the United States and United Kingdom, described the decision as an important step toward restoring Russia's involvement in global motorsport governance. His federation had continued discussions with the FIA while pressing its case for reinstatement.

The Ukrainian request does not itself change the World Motor Sport Council's vote, and the FIA has not announced that it will reopen or reverse the decision. For now, eligible Russian and Belarusian participants can return under the updated requirements, while the prohibition on hosting FIA competition in either country continues. The dispute leaves the governing body balancing its alignment with broader international sports policy against Ukraine's objections and its account of the war's impact on competitors.