American continent backs Ben Sulayem with legal call
FIA member clubs and sport federations of the Americas have recommended that the governing body takes legal action against those who it believes slandered the organisation and its president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
Ben Sulayem was recently cleared of wrongdoing in an internal investigation over allegations of interference in two Formula 1 races last year.
Clearly designed to quell any talk of an internal move against Ben Sulayem in the short term, a letter signed by more than 30 representatives of FIA federations from the Americas has shown emphatic support for him.
And there is a clear message that they are unhappy about recent allegations made against Ben Sulayem, who was investigated after a whistleblower suggested he had interfered with a stewards’ decision at last year’s
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and also overstepped the mark in signing off the safety certificate of the Las Vegas GP.
In the letter, published on the FIA website, the clubs state that they “recommend that the FIA initiate legal action against those who, without cause, slander the FIA and its leadership”. This comes after the clubs felt that various reports of the situation surrounding Ben Sulayem were aimed at trying to hurt the FIA.
The clubs also stated: “Accusations of impropriety and unethical practices propagated by some members of the print and digital media were intended for the sole purpose of causing harm to the FIA and its leadership, particularly the President.
“We endorse and ratify our vote of confidence in support of Mr Mohammed Ben Sulayem, for his stewardship of the FIA and his progress to fulfilling his commitment to transform the FIA in an ethical and transparent manner in order to better serve its members.”
The letter is signed by 34 member clubs and sports federations, including representatives of Colombia, Canada, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, Guatemala, Uruguay, Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Chile, Belize, Paraguay, Honduras,
Argentina, Chile, El Salvador,
Bolivia, Cayman Islands, Bahamas, Haiti, Jamaica, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago and Antigua.
The list also interestingly includes the signature of Fabiana Ecclestone, the vice-president of South America for Sports who is also wife of former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone. She has emerged as a potential future presidential candidate, and potentially as early as the next election in 2025, depending on whether or not Ben Sulayem seeks a second term in charge.