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FIA to hold ‘extraordinary’ meeting over Ukraine crisis

by Jack Cozens
2 min read

The FIA has convened a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council for Tuesday to discuss the crisis in Ukraine in the wake of Russia’s invasion of the country.

A statement supplied to The Race by an FIA spokesperson read: “An extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council will be convened tomorrow to discuss matters relating to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

“Further updates will be given following the meeting.”

On Monday, Ukraine’s motorsport authority called on the FIA to ban all drivers from Russia and Belarus from international competition.

Motor Racing Formula One World Championship Russian Grand Prix Preparation Day Sochi, Russia

That followed FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem writing to the federation’s president Leonid Kotstyuchenko guaranteeing “my full support and the support of the FIA”.

Among those who would be affected by such action is Haas F1 driver Nikita Mazepin.

Haas, which is sponsored by Mazepin’s father’s company Uralkali, is in legal discussions this week over the fate of that title sponsorship deal, which could cost Mazepin his place in the team.

The International Olympic Committee recommended on Monday that “International Sports Federations and sports event organisers not invite or allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in international competitions”.

The FIA has been among those International Sports Federations recognised by the IOC for a decade.

The Russian Grand Prix is among a series of major international events to have been called off already.

A statement released by F1 on Friday said that it, the FIA, and teams had concluded it was “impossible” for the race to go ahead “in the current circumstances” at a meeting the previous evening.

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