The FIA has approved changes to its statutes despite warnings they would damage the governing body’s reputation.
The statutes define the governing body’s purpose, structure and governance. The Osterreichische Automobil Motorrad und Touring Club – Austria’s motoring club – claimed the changes had been introduced by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to aid his re-election bid later this year.
“It cannot be – and is not – a coincidence that changes relevant to the FIA’s elections have been promoted by the FIA’s leadership at the same time as the FIA’s incumbent president has announced an intention to run in those elections,” said the OAMTC in a letter to other members, published by Reuters.
The FIA confirmed the new statutes have been approved. It said the changes were intended to improve how its elections are run.
“The FIA has taken steps since 2021 to strengthen its corporate governance policies,” a spokesperson told RaceFans. “These policies guide the FIA’s operations and ensure its rules, practices and processes are robust and transparent.
“The proposed amendments to the FIA statutes are designed to further strengthen processes around governance and confidentiality. They will grant the Nominations Committee more time to examine the eligibility criteria of candidates, and help to ensure consistency and rigour in the electoral process.
“All proposed amendments were voted through by a super majority of FIA Member Clubs at the General Assemblies, in line with the democratic process which governs decision making within the federation.”
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Ben Sulayem has clashed with other prominent motorsport figures over his changes to the FIA. In April his deputy president for sport Richard Reid resigned, saying the FIA no longer reflected his desire for “greater transparency, stronger governance, and more collaborative leadership.” David Richards, the chairman of British motoring club Motorsport UK, accused the FIA of trying to apply a “gagging order” by requiring World Motor Sport Council members to sign a non-disclosure agreement ahead of a meeting.
However Ben Sulayem, who won election ahead of rival Graham Stoker four years ago, retains the support of many other FIA members. A group of 36 motoring clubs wrote to him last month praising his response to “the catastrophic financial situation you inherited” when he was elected at the end of 2021 and telling him “we strongly encourage you to seek re-election.”
No opponent has formally announced their candidacy for the upcoming presidential election. However two-times world rally champion Carlos Sainz, whose son races in Formula 1, has indicated he is considering whether to run.
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