The FIA General Assembly recently approved changes to the governing body’s statutes and ethics code, seen as a victory for President Mohamed Ben Sulayem yet criticized for lowering governance standards. The amendments include an earlier candidate declaration deadline, increased presidential influence on FIA Senate, and aligning committee terms with the president’s tenure. Potential candidates can be disqualified based on integrity concerns.
The FIA members supported the statute changes with an 83.35% vote, and ethics code amendments with an 88.83% majority. These amendments aim to enhance governance processes and confidentiality, offering the Nominations Committee more time for candidate scrutiny. The support for the changes reflects Ben Sulayem’s power consolidation but also raised concerns about governance style.
David Richards, Motorsport UK chairman, expressed worries over declining accountability and governance within FIA, seen in high official turnover. Critics question the timing of the amendments, suspecting a power grab by Sulayem. Austria’s OAMTC urged FIA members to reject the changes to prevent further erosion of FIA’s reputation in a letter before the vote in Macau.
