Ukraine Takes FIA Russia Ban Challenge to Court of Appeal

Ukraine's national motorsport authority has escalated its challenge to the FIA's decision to lift restrictions on Russian and Belarusian competitors. BBC Sport reported that the Ukrainian Automobile Federation, known as the FAU, has appealed to the FIA Court of Appeal, the governing body's highest appeals authority.

The appeal follows an FAU request, made three days earlier, for the FIA ethics committee to investigate the decision. Restrictions on individuals from Russia and Belarus entering international motorsport had applied since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The FIA removed those restrictions on August 3 after the International Olympic Committee ended a similar ban. International motorsport events still cannot be staged in Russia or Belarus.

The FAU's case centres on its claim that the Russian Automobile Federation has opened and operates offices in Russian-occupied Ukrainian regions. It identified Crimea, Sevastopol, and the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. Those territories are internationally recognized as sovereign Ukrainian territory, and the FAU argues that the Russian federation's activity there breaches FIA rules allowing one national automobile club for each country.

The Ukrainian body also argues that restoring access for Russian and Belarusian participants creates practical restrictions for competitors from Ukraine and other countries that prohibit participation in events displaying Russian national symbols. FAU president Oleksandr Feldman said the federation would use the legal remedies available under FIA rules to seek what he described as the restoration of integrity to motorsport governance.

The FAU said 23 Ukrainian motorsport competitors and officials have been killed since the invasion began. It also said the war has disrupted motorsport inside Ukraine and severely limited freedom of movement. In addition, the federation noted that Russian Automobile Federation president Boris Rotenberg is subject to sanctions imposed by the United States, United Kingdom, European Union and other jurisdictions.

According to BBC Sport, the change was approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council, with sources saying FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem proposed it. In a statement issued before Ukraine formally protested, the FIA said the council's vote followed the IOC's July 7 announcement and updates by other international federations. It said it continues to monitor Ukraine and may revise its position. The FIA was approached for further comment on the appeal.