Having told the drivers to mind their own business in terms of FIA affairs, Mohammed ben Sulayem now appears to be seeking to make himself fully unaccountable.

Following recent investigations of the sport's governing body, Ben Sulayem is proposing changes to the way in which it handles ethics complaints.

Currently, such complaints go before the audit committee but a forthcoming vote at the FIA general assembly would instead see them only go before the FIA president and Carmelo Sanz De Barros the president the FIA's senate.

The move follows a year in which there have been numerous allegations concerning the FIA president all of which have been investigated by the ethics and audit committees - however under the new system, like so many institutions these days, the 'judge' would now be judging himself.

At a time the drivers have called for transparency in terms of where the money from fines goes, questions have been raised over a so-called "president's fund" set up to pay the member clubs which vote for the president (sound familiar), while a whistle-blower claimed that Ben Sulayem sought to overrule Fernando Alonso's penalty in Saudi Arabia and attempted to deny approval of the Las Vegas track before the inaugural event last year.

The move is unlikely to go down well with anyone - other than Ben Sulayem - and comes at the end of a tumultuous year for the sport's governing body, a year which has seen numerous sackings and departures, suggesting an organisation in turmoil and without proper leadership.

Race director Niels Wittich was fired and replaced by F2 (and F3) race director Rui Marques. However, as the Portuguese settled into his new role his replacement Janette Tam was fired before taking charge of her maiden event.

Long-standing steward Tim Mayer was sacked by text message, while other 'victims' of the regime include former CEO Natalie Robyn, head of the audit committee (and there's the clue) Bertrande Badre, fellow committee member Tom Purves and compliance officer Paolo Basarri.

The proposed changes to the statutes will remove the ability of the compliance officer to report to the audit committee and the committee's ability to investigate any issues unless called on by the president of the senate. - which is Carmelo Sanz De Barros, a member of Ben Sulayem's four-person leadership team - consequently at a swoop the FIA president would control the appointment of the head of the ethics committee, removing the role of the senate and compliance officer.

It is feared that the move will prevent whistle-blowers raising concerns and reporting issues to the ethics and audit committees, and consequently prevent the committees investigating said issues.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Tyrbiter, 07/12/2024 16:28

"When I was at school, we were always told that if we committed an offence on the field of play, in say football or cricket, we would be sent off and also receive a school punishment which would be doubled if it involved dissent or lying.
I would like to see exactly these methods applied to all participants in this 'sport' that we follow to some extent.

If this continues then the whole edifice can collapse into the sea for all I care for it cheapens the memory of all those that have made the ultimate sacrifice and those who would not, and did not, hesitate to go to their aid in extremis."

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2. Posted by kenji, 06/12/2024 13:31

"@Ross, the trouble with your 'easy way' is that too many people can't live with the truth as that runs counter to the status quo, the new social truth. One that needs no evidence other than a 'belief'. EG I have XY chromosomes and I can never bear a child... but I am a woman. As for the dispensing with the legal profession....obviously you've never been in a really tight spot! What you have suggested is an 'ideal world' but one that likely will never exist."

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3. Posted by Ross, 06/12/2024 5:53

""Easy" way of fixing it - Have it become the social norm to tell only the truth and have clarity in all things. Almost a polar opposite to what we have now.
Make knowingly telling lies a crime. Apply all laws equally. Get rid of the lawyers and replace them with common sense that any layman or child can understand.
Again, almost a complete opposite to what we have now.
"

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4. Posted by kenji, 06/12/2024 0:55

"The days of universal victimhood have been with us for a while now and whilst supporting, in theory, the notion of 'rectifying injustice' it is a minefield for those who are innocent and made subject of spurious claims for reasons other that fairplay. Where is the line between an aggrieved employee with an agenda and on a destructive mission and a genuine complaint? There is no easy solution at the best of times. Nothing is ever as it seems....most of the time."

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5. Posted by Ross, 05/12/2024 21:00

"All we can do about it, is anything within our sphere of influence. So for the average joe, that could be calling out all wrongs we see, everywhere. Posting on social media, whistleblowing if necessary... Doing small right things. Even if something small doesn't seem to matter, if you pull all the small things together, they add up. Everything is connected. Butterfly effect, harmonics, resonance, however you want to coin it.
In the case of the FIA, then FOM or whatever they have rebranded to this week, need to have steps in place for a breakaway series. Yep, that again. Or if FOM don't do that then its up to the drivers, teams, sponsors, fans to do what they can to stop going with this totalitarianism.
If that means drivers' strikes, so be it. If that means sponsors pulling out, so be it. If that means us fans boycotting the sponsors' companies, so be it.
If any whistleblowers come forward then it is vital that we show our support. Not just in this FIA case, everywhere. The more whistleblowers down the ladder come out and it is seen they are supported by the people, then it will encourage more whistleblowers further up to come out. Again, it will cascade all the way to the top.
As an old friend, mentor almost, used to say along the lines of "we need to support the captains and lieutenants because they are just as sick of those corrupt in command and fingers on the buttons, as we all are".
"

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6. Posted by stoney, 05/12/2024 9:44

"But, like so many on-going examples of normalized authoritarianism in the world, what is anyone going to do about it?

The question is not intended as naive as it may sound."

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7. Posted by Max Noble, 05/12/2024 8:15

"@Celtic Tiger - Ah! It’s the quality of the quotes on PitPass that keeps me going ;-) Bloody Watchmen! I think they are all off having an alcohol free beer behind the bike sheds…
"

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8. Posted by Ross, 05/12/2024 0:36

"Whenever any authority starts making moves to ban whistleblowers then you know they are corrupt to the core. Just look at pretty much any government or big business!
Unless they have total transparency all the way up to and including the top then there will always remain the potential for something to hide. And usually secrets mean something wrong is afoot. Wrongs need called out.
Outing a wrong is one of the most honourable thing anyone can do. "

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9. Posted by Celtic Tiger, 04/12/2024 22:20

"As Juvenal once wrote "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?". I knew this guy wasn't right in the head when he tried to pick a fight with Horner over comments he had said... during the season end prize giving gala, in front of everyone, while handing him the constructors trophy. The emcee had to step in. It was crazy. MBS is a narcissist of the highest order, a dangerous personality type to give power to. "

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10. Posted by kenji, 04/12/2024 14:07

"@Mad Matt...good post. I agree with your points. Maybe it's a cultural thing under another guise. "

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11. Posted by Mad Matt, 04/12/2024 12:54

"Not sure Bernie and Max were good examples to hold up when speaking about following the rules and transparency.... and, just to look at it another way, you could argue that there have been multiple investigations into ben Sulayem and he's always found innocent by an independent body and he now feels these baseless attacks have to stop.

I also don't think it's any of the drivers business what happens to the fines... it's just another page in the drivers book of excuses, another way to try and push the blame elsewhere as they skulk off muttering under their breath :-)

I'm not sure what the truth is here and it certainly wouldn't be the first time there's been corruption in international sport..... still probably not as bad as most 'democratic' governments though...."

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12. Posted by Wokingchap, 04/12/2024 10:56

"Scumbag dictator......but what else could we have expected from one who grew up in a dictatorship. Bernie was/is a dictator too but he had some principles, not like this bastxxd."

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