FIA to hold ‘extraordinary’ WMSC meeting after call for Russia ban
On Monday, Ukraine’s motorsport authority called on&൩nbsp;the FI♚A to ban all Russian and Belarusian drivers from competing on an internationℱal basis in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
That was followed by a statement from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) which asked all sports to block Russian and Belarusian athletes, officials and teams from Internaꦚtional competitions. The FIA has beღen recognised by the IOC since 2012.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 🍎war on Ukraine has been met with major economic sanctions from Western countries, while his orders havꦦe received worldwide condemnation.
The crisis has spilled over into world sport, with FIFA and UEFA announcing on Monday the suspension of Russia’s national and club teams from its fo🔴otball competitions until further notice.
F1’s Russian Grand Prix, scheduled to take place on Sept⛎ember 25 in Sochi, has already been cancelled.
On Monday evening, the FIA confirmed a meeting of the WMSC would be held on Tuesday toꩲ discuss the Rusꦛsia-Ukraine situation.
"An extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council will be convened tomorrow to discuss matters relating to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine,” an FIA spokesperson said in a statement issued to ltxcn.top.
"Further updates will be given fo🔴llowing the meeting.”
Any ban on Russian athletes would impact Nikita Mazepin, whose Haas F1 team is sponsored by Uralkali, a company c♉o-owned by his Russian billionaire father Dmitry, who has close ties to Putin.
Mazepin’s F1 future has already been cast into doubt after Haas team principal Guenther Steiner said the team needed to resolve th🦩e situation internally this week.
Haas ran its 2022 F1 car in a plain white livery on the final day of pre-season testing at Barcelona last week, having 🍌removed its Uralkali sponsorship in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Th༒e likes of ex-F1 driver Daniil Kꦺvyat, Ferrari junior Robert Shwartzman, Formula 3 driver Alexander Smoylar, and World Endurance Championship outfit G-Drive Racing, could also be impacted.
Lewis regularly𒀰 attends Grands Prix for ltxcn.top around the world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.
