Sanctioned Russian ex-general back in FIA fold

Victor Kiryanov, right, with former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, is president of the Russian Automobile Federation

A former Russian general who has been sanctioned by the USA and UK has been invited back into the rule-making structure of motorsport's governing body, the FIA.

Victor Kiryanov stepped down from his role on the FIA world motorsport council when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem reinstated him for the meeting of the body on 11 June.

Kiryanov, a former Russian deputy minister of internal affairs, is on the sanctions list of the US and UK, as well as Canada.

HM Treasury documents state the sanctions list "provides for the freezing of funds and economic resources of certain persons, entities or bodies involved in destabilising Ukraine or undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine, or obtaining a benefit from or supporting the Government of Russia".

The restrictions on Kiryanov are an asset freeze, director disqualification, travel ban, and trust services sanctions.

He is defined as an "involved person" under EU sanctions because the body alleges he has been "involved in obtaining a benefit from or supporting the Government of Russia by working as a director or manager, or equivalent position, of a Government of Russia-affiliated entity, namely Rostec, which is owned by the Government of Russia and is carrying on business in a sector of strategic significance to the Government of Russia, namely the defence sector".

Kiryanov's involvement with the FIA comes through his position as head of the Russian Automobile Federation.

Following the start of the Ukraine war, the FIA world council aligned with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on introducing a series of rules regarding the participation of Russian nationals in sport.

These included a requirement for Russian and Belarussian officials to step aside temporarily from their roles and responsibilities of elected officers and commission members.

Ben Sulayem and David Richards, the chairman of MotorsportUK, insisted at the time that Kiryanov stand down from his position on the world council, which he did so voluntarily.

The IOC's stance on Russia has not changed, but on 12 May the FIA world council approved by e-vote the reinstatement of Russian and Belarussian officials "in the interests of fairness".

Kiryanov has since attended hearings of the world motorsport council in June and October. At the first, he made a speech personally thanking Ben Sulayem for inviting him back on to the world council, multiple sources have told BBC Sport.

He is not on the list of members eligible for the world council in the next presidential term, which starts after the FIA elections in December.

Ben Sulayem can face no opposition in the election, as a quirk of FIA rules means no other candidate is able to compile the required list of vice-presidents for sport.

An FIA spokesperson said: "The FIA is a politically neutral body, governed by a democratically elected senate. Members of the world motorsport council are elected, and serve, in an individual capacity.

"The FIA has a longstanding commitment to upholding motor sport's neutrality.

"Its decision to allow all elected members, regardless of nationality, to continue serving their terms is in line with the approach of other international sports bodies."

The spokesperson said the FIA's position was in accordance with article 1.2 of its statutes, which say the FIA will "promote the protection of human rights and human dignity, and refrain from manifesting discrimination on account of race, skin colour, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic or social origin, language, religion, philosophical or political opinion, family situation or disability in the course of its activities and from taking any action in this respect.

"The FIA will focus on underrepresented groups in order to achieve a more balanced representation of gender and race and to create a more diverse and inclusive culture."