Ben Sulayem’s leadership faces fresh turmoil as FIA tensions escalate, with key figures sidelined over a controversial non-disclosure agreement.
Internal disputes at the FIA are escalating once again. The latest controversy borders on the tragicomic: two senior Federation officials were barred from attending the most recent World Motor Sport Council meeting for failing to comply with a direct request from Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
Robert Reid, FIA Vice President for Sport, and David Richards, the United Kingdom’s representative—arguably the most influential member—were among those denied access to the meeting on Wednesday due to their refusal to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
This document, mandated by Ben Sulayem, would prevent members from discussing FIA-related matters outside official meetings, according to information obtained by BBC Sport.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s objective? To curb what he perceives as a growing number of leaks.
Yet, the latest World Motor Sport Council meeting—held without these two key members—resulted in several significant decisions, including changes to pit stop regulations in Monaco. This raises questions about the legitimacy of those decisions.
FIA statutes clearly state that World Motor Sport Council members “may attend any meeting” and “have the right to vote.”
Is this another display of authoritarianism by Mohammed Ben Sulayem?
Both Reid and Richards declined to comment.
Subsequently, an FIA spokesperson attempted to downplay the controversy:
“As is routine in all organizations, including the BBC, the FIA implements procedures, including non-disclosure agreements, to ensure confidential relationships between all parties, protect personal information, and safeguard our regulatory interests.”
“The unauthorized disclosure of confidential information undermines our ability to fully carry out our mission and affects our capacity to generate revenue to support our member clubs, in our shared goal of expanding participation in motorsport, increasing accessibility, and fostering innovation.”
“The measures we have implemented to preserve confidentiality have been overwhelmingly supported by a supermajority of WMSC (World Motor Sport Council) members.”
It is not particularly surprising to see Robert Reid targeted by Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s latest measures. Despite playing a key role in the Emirati’s election, he, like others before him, has now fallen out of favor. The same applies to David Richards, who has also criticized Ben Sulayem’s recent decisions, particularly those aimed at weakening the FIA’s authority.
Ben Sulayem is set to seek a second term at the end of his mandate in December 2025. No candidates have officially declared their intentions, though Susie Wolff could be a contender.
According to the BBC, which is well-informed on the matter, “sources within the FIA believe that the imposition of this NDA may be driven by fears that further negative revelations could emerge in the press, or by an attempt to prepare statutory changes at the upcoming General Assembly in June, which would make it more difficult to oppose his re-election.”
Is Mohammed Ben Sulayem preparing to make controversial decisions and hoping they won’t leak? In any case, this marks yet another governance crisis at the FIA, which continues to accumulate them.
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