Photo Credit: Getty Images / Ukrainian Minister for Youth and Sport Matvii Bidnyi
Ukraine Slams FIA Decision to Lift Ban on Russian Drivers

Ukraine’s Minister for Youth and Sports, Matvii Bidnyi, has strongly condemned the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) for lifting its ban on Russian and Belarusian competitors.

The ban was first imposed in February 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. On August 3, the FIA World Motor Sport Council voted to reverse the restriction, a move that followed a similar decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Reacting to the development in an interview reported by BBC Sport on Wednesday, Bidnyi said the conditions that led to the original sanction have not changed.

“The reasons why Russia was banned from international sports competition have not disappeared. Nothing changes and it became even worse,” he said.

The minister noted that Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine is ongoing, with Belarus still providing military support, and that civilians continue to be killed daily by increasingly brutal attacks. He questioned why international sports bodies are softening their stance.

“When any federation lifts the ban and makes steps towards the aggressor, the terrorist state, it’s always really, really sad,” Bidnyi said.

He described the FIA’s action as a major disappointment for Ukrainians and warned that it undermines the collective international pressure on Russia.

Bidnyi praised federations like World Athletics and biathlon for maintaining strict bans, and accused Russia of using elite sports as a propaganda tool.

“In Russia, elite sport is deeply connected with the military and state propaganda system. It’s one of the biggest whitewashing mechanisms. This is why we call it sportswashing,” he said.

According to the Ukrainian government, the war has killed hundreds of athletes and coaches and destroyed hundreds of sports facilities across the country.

The FIA, in its statement, said it will continue to ban the hosting of motorsport events in Russia and Belarus and is monitoring the situation in Ukraine. It added that the new guidelines for Russian and Belarusian drivers, teams and officials are in line with the IOC’s updated recommendations.

Bidnyi however insists the decision is premature and that the ban should remain until the war ends.
Source: Punchng.com –