Russian drivers banned? Extraordinary meeting scheduled for Tuesday at the FIA

The IOC has just recommended the banishment of Russian and Belarusian athletes from international sports following the invasion of Ukraine. This earthquake could hit Russian drivers, including Nikita Mazepin, who is already under scrutiny at Haas as a full-time driver, but other compatriots of his are also affected. The FIA is meeting this Tuesday.

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The Russian invasion in Ukraine has had a significant impact on the global sports scene. While FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) has just announced the exclusion of Russia from the upcoming World Cup, the IOC (International Olympic Committee) has recommended the exclusion of Russian athletes from the global sports community.

The ongoing war in Ukraine poses a dilemma for the Olympic movement. While athletes from Russia and Belarus are able to participate in sports events, many Ukrainian athletes are prevented from doing so due to the conflict in their country. To protect the integrity of global sports competitions and ensure the safety of participants, the IOC recommends that international federations and sports event organizers do not invite or allow the presence of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions, the IOC announced in a statement.

If the IOC’s recommendation has no binding force, the future looks very bleak for Russian and Belarusian athletes. Nikita Mazepin, whose seat was already in jeopardy, could be excluded from the Formula 1 World Championship. He is currently the only Russian driver to hold a position in the premier category, and therefore, logically, the most media-covered.

Nevertheless, some of his fellow countrymen who are still active are also affected. Robert Shwartzman, who was supposed to drive for Ferrari in free practice this year, as well as Daniil Kvyat, the former AlphaTauri driver who has just committed to Endurance, will have to put international motor racing aside if their license is cancelled by the FIA. Aleksandr Smolyar, who has signed with MP Motorsport in F3, is also affected. This means that there are as many drivers to replace and as many budgets lost for the teams.

We will have to wait for a possible official announcement from the FIA to know the fate of the Russian drivers. After FIFA and the IOC made their announcements in the past few hours, more information is expected from the International Automobile Federation, based in Paris, in the coming days. Mohammed Ben Sulayem notably communicated on Twitter that a meeting would be held this Tuesday regarding the war in Ukraine: « I have requested an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council tomorrow to discuss matters concerning the crisis in Ukraine. »

The war in Ukraine continues to have collateral damage beyond its borders. As a reminder, Haas has also decided to stop displaying its main and Russian sponsor, Uralkali.

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