Ukraine urges FIA to reverse decision on Russian and Belarusian symbols

The Automobile Federation of Ukraine (FAU) and the Ukrainian government are calling on the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) to reverse its recent decision to lift restrictions on Russian and Belarusian competitors.

The FIA recently decided to allow drivers from Russia and Belarus to compete under their own national flags and use their national anthems, a policy that had been restricted following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. While the ban on hosting events in these countries remains in place, the lifting of individual athlete restrictions has drawn sharp criticism.

Ukrainian Minister of Youth and Sports Matvii Bidnyi stated that the decision allows for ‘sportswashing’ and the ‘normalisation of aggression’ in international sports. He noted that the continued use of national symbols from these states provides a platform for propaganda and risks creating a false sense of normalized relations while the conflict continues. The FAU added that the decision does not reflect the reality of ongoing Russian aggression and could increase division within the international motorsport community.