Following the decision to lift the ban on competitors from Russia in international motorsport, Ukraine has submitted an official complaint to the FIA’s ethics committee.
On Thursday, the Ukrainian Automobile Federation (FAU) called for an immediate investigation into the Russian Automobile Federation (RAF), claiming it is violating FIA regulations concerning national sporting bodies.
The FAU claims that the RAF has established and is running regional branches in Crimea, Sevastopol, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia, territories recognized as Ukrainian by the United Nations.
The formal grievance highlights an infringement of “Article 3.3 of the FIA Statutes and Article 1.4.1 of the International Sporting Code, both of which dictate that only one ASN [national body] can be recognized in any given nation, with its jurisdiction spanning the entire national territory of that country.” Consequently, the FAU argues that the Russian body is violating FIA rules by operating within Ukraine’s borders.
The complaint also points out that key figures in the RAF—including its president Boris Rotenberg—are subject to international sanctions by the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union due to their aggression against Ukraine.
The FAU has demanded a prompt inquiry and called for the immediate closure of these RAF offices.
The national flag of Russia
Photo credit: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
“This represents an obvious violation of the FIA Statutes by the Russian Automobile Federation, which is required to respect these rules as a member organization of the FIA,” stated FAU President Oleksandr Feldman. “We call upon the FIA President to take prompt steps to shut down these offices and to penalize the Russian Automobile Federation for its conduct.”
Earlier this month, the FIA rescinded its restrictions on drivers from Russia and Belarus, allowing them to compete under their respective national flags once again, after being barred since the start of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022.
These modifications do not apply to hosting international competitions in Russia or Belarus, which remain prohibited. The FIA previously dissolved its contract for the Russian Grand Prix in 2022, which was scheduled to be the final event at the Sochi Autodrom before the Igora Drive track was set to host the race starting in 2023.
During that interval, Russian competitors frequently affiliated with other national federations to keep racing: Robert Shwartzman competed under the Israeli flag, while drivers like Daniil Kvyat and Nikita Bedrin secured Italian racing licenses. Additionally, Russian racers have represented Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in various junior categories.
