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The Automobile Federation of Ukraine (FAU), serving as the country's national sporting authority, has formally lodged a complaint with the FIA Senate and the World Motor Sport Council. The Ukrainian body is calling for immediate sanctions against the Russian Automobile Federation (RAF) over serious violations of the FIA Statutes and the International Sporting Code.
According to the FAU, the Russian federation has established regional offices in territories internationally recognized as part of Ukraine. This constitutes a direct breach of Article 3.3 of the FIA Statutes and Article 1.4.1 of the International Sporting Code, which dictate that only one National Sporting Authority can be recognized per country, holding exclusive sporting jurisdiction over its entire territory. Through these actions, the RAF is unlawfully attempting to exert control over areas strictly under the jurisdiction of the Ukrainian federation.
In an official statement, the Ukrainian authority demanded that the RAF's FIA membership be suspended until it shuts down its offices in Ukraine, completely halts all activity there, and provides written guarantees verified by an independent audit.
"We were surprised by the stance of the competent FIA authorities, who are trying to remain silent on the situation," said FAU President Oleksandr Feldman. "Our complaint from August 26 to the FIA Ethics Committee, urging an immediate investigation into the violator's actions, was met with complete inaction and has received no response whatsoever. It is precisely due to this inaction that we are calling for the matter to be tabled at the General Assembly."
Kyiv's move comes just weeks after the FIA sparked controversy by lifting the ban on Russian and Belarusian drivers competing in international motorsport without providing formal reasoning—a restriction initially imposed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. Ukraine is currently appealing that decision, which the BBC reported was enacted at the behest of FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem (pictured).
When approached by Racer magazine, motorsport's governing body reiterated the position it issued when lifting the restrictions on drivers:
"The FIA has updated its requirements for Russian and Belarusian drivers, national teams, competitors, and officials following a vote by the World Motor Sport Council. The decision aligns with the International Olympic Committee's recommendations from July 7 and similar moves by other international sports federations. The ban on hosting events and competitions in Russia and Belarus remains in place. The FIA continues to monitor the situation in Ukraine closely and reserves the right to adapt its position in the future."
The RAF has yet to provide an official response to the latest allegations from Ukraine. However, in August, following the lifting of the competition ban, Russian federation president Boris Rotenberg—who remains under US and UK sanctions—praised the organization's diplomatic efforts:
"Extensive diplomatic work by our federation paved the way for this decision. We have consistently maintained a professional dialogue with our FIA colleagues, firmly defending our country's interests. Sport and culture must remain separate from politics—their role is to unite people. Justice has prevailed. We are grateful to the FIA for their constructive tone and remain ready to work collaboratively on resolving any emerging issues."
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