Sanctioned Russian ex-general back in FIA fold

Former Russian general, who has been banned by the US and the UK, has been invited back to the FIA, the body that regulates motorsport.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Victor Kiryanov resigned from his position on the FIA World Motorsport Council.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the body’s president, reinstated him for the meeting on June 11.

Former Russian deputy minister of internal affairs, Kiryanov, as well as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Switzerland, are all on the list of countries that have sanctions against him.

According to HM Treasury documents, the sanctions list “allows the freezing of funds and economic resources of some individuals, groups, or organizations engaged in destabilizing Ukraine, compromising or threatening Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, or independence, or obtaining benefits from or supporting the Government of Russia.”

He is described as an “involved person” under EU sanctions because the person claims to have been “involved in obtaining a benefit from or supporting the Government of Russia by working as a director, manager, or equivalent position” of a government-affiliated organization, Rostec, which is owned by the government of Russia and conducts business in a sector of strategic significance to the government of Russia, specifically the defense sector.

Kiryanov serves as the head of the Russian Automobile Federation, which is a significant aspect of his involvement with the FIA.

The FIA World Council and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) set up a number of guidelines for Russian nationals’ participation in sport following the start of the conflict in Ukraine.

Russian and Belarussian officials were required to temporarily resign from their positions and responsibilities as elected officers and commission members.

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

The IOC’s position on Russia has not changed, but on May 12 the FIA world council approved the reinstatement of Russian and Belarussian officials “in the interests of fairness.”

Kiryanov has since attended World Motorsport Council hearings in June and October. Multiple sources have reported to BBC Sport that at the first, he personally thanked Ben Sulayem for inviting him back to the world council.

He is not eligible to serve in the next presidential election, which will begin in December, according to the list of members.

Due to a misunderstanding of FIA regulations, Ben Sulayem is unable to compile the necessary list of vice-presidents for sport, making Ben Sulayem unopposed in the election.

A senate-elected senate is in charge of the FIA, according to a FIA spokesperson. The world motorsport council elects and serves as individuals.

The FIA has a long history of support for maintaining neutrality in motor sport.

Its decision to allow all elected officials to serve their terms, regardless of nationality, is in line with the practices of other international sports organizations.

The spokesperson referred BBC Sport to the FIA statutes, which state that the organization will “promote the protection of human rights and human dignity, and refrain from manifesting discrimination in the course of its activities and from taking any action in this regard.”