FIA PRESIDENT MOHAMMED BEN SULAYEM ACCUSED OF BROKEN PROMISES BY MOTORSPORT UK CHAIR DAVID RICHARDS

FIA PRESIDENT MOHAMMED BEN SULAYEM ACCUSED OF “BROKEN PROMISES” BY MOTORSPORT UK CHAIR DAVID RICHARDS

A damning indictment of International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s leadership has been issued by Motorsport UK chair David Richards, who accuses him of “broken promises” and a lack of transparency.

Richards, a former Formula One team boss, supported Ben Sulayem’s candidacy in 2021, believing he would be a “hands-off president” who would ensure “full transparency of actions and the highest standard of governance.” However, Richards now claims that Ben Sulayem has failed to deliver on these promises.

In a strongly worded message to Motorsport UK members, Richards wrote, “I’m afraid that over the last three years, there has been a distinct failure to meet these promises. In fact, the situation has progressively worsened, with media reports confirming that numerous senior members of the FIA and volunteer officials have either been fired or have resigned under an opaque cloud.”

Richards’ criticism of Ben Sulayem’s leadership has been sparked by a recent incident in which he was barred from attending a meeting of the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council after refusing to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Richards viewed the NDA as a “gagging order” that would prevent him from discussing FIA matters openly.

The construction of this new confidentiality agreement does not comply with the statutes of the FIA and contradicts the promise of transparent governance we had voted for,” Richards wrote. “Our Motorsport UK lawyers, along with our French legal counsel, have challenged the FIA on their actions by setting out a clear set of questions that the FIA leadership needs to answer.”

Ben Sulayem, who has been involved in several controversies since taking office, is expected to stand for re-election when his four-year term expires later this year. However, Richards’ criticism may damage his chances of re-election, and the Motorsport UK chair has hinted that further action may be taken.

“Integrity is a core value of Motorsport UK, and one that is central to who we are,” Richards wrote. “These actions by the FIA are in breach of their own statutes. As a result, we have informed the FIA that unless they address the issues we’ve raised, we will be engaging in further legal action.”

The dispute between Richards and Ben Sulayem has significant implications for the governance of motorsport globally. As the leader of the FIA, Ben Sulayem has a critical role in shaping the sport’s future, and his leadership style has been called into question by Richards’ accusations.

The FIA has responded to Richards’ criticism, stating that the non-disclosure agreement was implemented to “ensure confidential relationships between all parties, to safeguard personal information, and to protect our regulatory interests.” However, Richards remains unconvinced, and the dispute is likely to continue in the coming weeks and months.