Ukraine files FIA ethics complaint against Russian motorsport federation over offices in disputed regions
The Automobile Federation of Ukraine has lodged a formal complaint with the FIA Ethics Committee against its Russian counterpart over alleged breaches of the governing body’s statutes. | Photo Credit: AFP
The Automobile Federation of Ukraine has lodged a formal complaint with the FIA Ethics Committee against its Russian counterpart over alleged breaches of the governing body’s statutes. | Photo Credit: AFP
The Automobile Federation of Ukraine (FAU) has filed a formal complaint with the FIA Ethics Committee against its Russian counterpart, alleging violations of the world motorsport governing body’s statutes.
The complaint comes weeks after the FIA lifted restrictions that had prevented Russian and Belarusian participants from competing under their national flags and anthems following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Ukraine had earlier urged the governing body to reconsider the decision.
The FAU said on Thursday that it had requested an urgent investigation into the Russian Automobile Federation (RAF) over offices it claims are operating in Crimea, Sevastopol and the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Ukraine maintains that the offices are situated in territory recognised by the United Nations as part of Ukraine.
The FAU argues that their operation breaches FIA regulations governing national sporting authorities. Under the relevant statutes, only one national sporting authority can be recognised for each country, with its jurisdiction extending across that nation’s territory.
According to the Ukrainian federation, the presence of RAF offices in those regions amounts to the Russian body exercising sporting authority in territory where the FAU says it holds exclusive jurisdiction.
The FAU has asked the FIA Ethics Committee to open a formal investigation and determine whether the RAF has breached the governing body’s statutes. It has also called for the Russian federation to be directed to close the offices concerned.
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The RAF’s website lists regional offices in the four areas cited by the Ukrainian federation, including a motorsport federation based in Simferopol in Crimea. It remains unclear when the offices began operating.
The FAU also highlighted that RAF president Boris Rotenberg, who has close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, is subject to international sanctions.
The complaint follows the FIA’s decision earlier this month to ease restrictions on Russian and Belarusian participation in international motorsport. Competitors from the two countries are now permitted to use their national flags, colours and anthems, while the requirement to compete under neutral conditions has also been removed.
However, international motorsport competitions remain prohibited from being staged in Russia and Belarus.
The FIA and the RAF had not immediately responded to the Ukrainian federation’s complaint.
(With inputs from Reuters).
Published on Aug 28, 2026
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