December 13 could be a pivotal moment for the FIA and motorsport. President Mohammed Ben Sulayem is at the center of a controversy over a proposed change to the FIA’s statutes to increase his control over key committees such as audit and ethics.
The changes, reported by the with the BBC, provide that the power to oversee ethical complaints and financial investigations will pass exclusively to the FIA president and the president of the Senate, Carmelo Sanz De Barros. This would eliminate the independence of the current committees, reducing the possibility of impartial investigations into possible mismanagement or questionable behavior.
An unprecedented accumulation of power
Among the most controversial proposals is removing the ethics committee's ability to conduct its own investigations. Now, each complaint would first be reviewed by the ethics committee but would have to be approved by the Senate president or Ben Sulayem himself if it involved the Senate to proceed. In addition, only the Senate president could authorize financial investigations, effectively limiting the work of the audit committee.
Practically, Ben Sulayem and Sanz De Barros would have the chance to decide each other's fate in case of ethical complaints. Added to this is the FIA President’s exclusive control over the appointment of the head of the ethics committee, eliminating any role for the Senate or the compliance officer, a position already recently removed.
A turbulent year for the FIA
These proposals come at a time when the FIA is already shaken by deep internal tensions. In recent months, several key figures have left the organization, including Natalie Robyn (former CEO), compliance officer Paolo Basarri, sporting director Steve Nielsen, the historic steward Tim Mayer and Niels Wittich, former race director. The head of the review committee, Bertrand Badre, and his colleague Tom Purves were also fired after raising concerns about the financial management and practices of the chairman.
Ben Sulayem has also been the subject of accusations for alleged interference in two 2023 GPs (Saudi Arabia and Las Vegas), accusations rejected after an investigation by the ethics committee. However, other episodes are worrying, such as the creation of a $1,5 million “presidential fund” to finance automobile clubs with the right to vote in the upcoming FIA elections.
Implications for the future
If approved, these changes would drastically limit the possibility of independent investigations within the FIA, concentrating enormous decision-making power in the hands of Ben Sulayem and the Senate president. This centralization risks discouraging potential “whistleblowers” – people within the organization who report irregular or illicit activities. Without the tools to ensure impartial investigations, it could create a bubble within which Ben Sulayem would be well protected.
At a time when motorsports require transparency and trust, these proposals seem to represent a step backwards.The vote on December 13 will be crucial not only for the future of the FIA, but also for the message that motorsport wants to give to the whole world.
