FIA officials barred from meeting over NDA refusal

In a dispute with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, key players were prevented from attending a meeting of the organization’s world motorsport council on Wednesday.

Robert Reid, the FIA’s deputy president for sport, and David Richards, the UK’s representative, were among those denied access after refusing to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).

According to BBC Sport, the document forbids members from discussing FIA-related issues at FIA-related meetings.

Due to his concerns about media leaks, according to insiders, Ben Sulayem demanded the new NDA, a more stringent version of a contract with members already bound.

The dispute has prompted legal letters to be exchanged, and it has been questioned whether the world council’s decisions, including those regarding the upcoming F1 season, will be valid.

Members of the world motorsport council are required to “have the right to vote” and “may attend any meeting according to FIA statutes.”

When BBC Sport reached them, Reid and Richards both declined to comment.

An FIA spokesperson said: “As is routine in all organisations, including the BBC, the FIA implements procedures including non-disclosure agreements to ensure confidential relationships between all parties, to safeguard personal information, and to protect our regulatory interests.

Unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information “untilals our ability to fulfill our mission” and “daily affects our ability to generate revenue to support our member clubs’ shared goals of increasing motorsport participation, accessibility, and cultivating innovation.

“A super majority of WMSC members have overwhelmingly supported the measures we have taken to protect confidentiality.”

Since taking office in December of this year, Emirati Ben Sulayem has been the subject of a number of controversy, including those involving his views on women, his approach to F1, his changes to the accountability laws, the dismissal of several senior figures, and rule changes regarding the conduct of F1 drivers in public.

Reid was a key member of Ben Sulayem’s presidential team but the Scot, a former rally co-driver, has fallen out of favour with the FIA president.

Reid appears to have been taken into consideration with what he perceives to be a bias against him by the British media, which has become more prevalent in recent months.

Richards backed Ben Sulayem in the 2021 election, but he actively opposed the statute changes that were proposed in December.

At the conclusion of his first term in December of this year, Ben Sulayem will seek re-election. No one has so far made an effort to challenge him.