Ukrainian Minister of Youth and Sports, Matvii Bidnyi, has formally urged the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) to reverse its recent decision to readmit Russian and Belarusian drivers, teams, and officials under their national identities. Bidnyi strongly condemned the policy change, warning that lifting sanctions normalizes ongoing military aggression and allows Russia to engage in sportswashing while the war against Ukraine continues.
Highlighting the human and infrastructural toll of the conflict, Bidnyi noted that over 770 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed and more than 925 sports facilities destroyed since the invasion began in February 2022. The Ministry of Youth and Sports subsequently sent an official letter to the governing body requesting an immediate policy review.
The controversy stems from a decision by the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) to alter emergency sanctions put in place after the 2022 invasion. Under the updated policy, competitors from Russia and Belarus are permitted to use their national flags, colors, uniform liveries, and anthems once again. Furthermore, the mandatory “FIA Driver Commitment” clause, which previously required competitors to sign a declaration of political neutrality to secure racing authorization, has been removed.
Despite these rollbacks, the FIA chose to maintain its strict prohibition against hosting international or zonal motorsport events within the physical territories of Russia and Belarus until further notice. This partial lifting of restrictions sets the FIA apart from other athletic bodies, such as the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM), which have chosen to maintain complete bans on competitors from those nations.
