Ukraine has formally asked motorsport’s governing body to reconsider its decision to allow Russian and Belarusian competitors back into international events.
The appeal follows the FIA World Motor Sport Council’s move last week to ease restrictions introduced after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The change opens the door for individuals from Russia and Belarus to return to international motorsport under revised eligibility rules.
Ukraine’s automobile federation said the country’s Minister of Youth and Sports had contacted FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and asked both him and the World Motor Sport Council to review the decision.
The Ukrainian federation said it had not expected the restrictions to be lifted and warned that the change could create problems for the integrity of international competition. It also pointed to the impact of the war on Ukrainian motorsport, including the deaths of competitors and extensive disruption to the country’s sporting community.
The FIA said its revised policy followed a World Motor Sport Council vote and reflected changes made by the International Olympic Committee and other international sporting bodies. However, the organisation stressed that Russia and Belarus remain prohibited from hosting FIA-sanctioned events.
The governing body added that it would continue assessing developments in Ukraine and could revise its position again if circumstances change.
The decision has been welcomed by the Russian Automobile Federation. Its president, Boris Romanovich Rotenberg, described the move as an important step towards restoring Russia’s position within international motorsport governance.
Rotenberg, who is subject to sanctions imposed by both the United States and the United Kingdom, said the Russian federation had maintained dialogue with the FIA throughout the period of restrictions and had continued pushing for wider reinstatement.
The dispute is now likely to intensify scrutiny of the FIA’s approach to Russian and Belarusian participation, with Ukraine arguing that the consequences of the war should remain a central factor in decisions over their return to international competition.