“Absurd” FIA rules may stop contested election, warns David Ward
Bangalore, 2 Oct 2013: David Ward has arrived as a whiff of fresh air on the suffocating FIA scene. Thanks to the lack of transparency, Formula One and FIA, the international Fedearation which controls Motorsports and F1 around the world, are closed to public scrutiny as far as financial arrangements are concerned.
The arrival of Jean Todt as President was hoped would benefit the sport and bring more monies to FIA, and consequently to the member ASNs around the world to develop and promote grassroots motorsports. But despite making efforts Jean Todt was not very successful, many experts feel. He made a lot of improvements, especially on road safety side but no one is sure how much the new Concorde Agreement will benefit the FIA.
Under these circumstance, the arrival of David Ward, as a presidential candidate to contest Jean Todt (trying for a second term) came as good news. But the absurd FIA rules may prevent his entry, even before the election process begins.
A press release from Ward:
David Ward, a candidate in the FIA 2013 Presidential election, has written to FIA Clubs warning that the FIA’s election rules could prevent any candidate from being eligible to challenge the incumbent Jean Todt. The letter reveals that in the North American region 11 out of 12 clubs (ACNs and ASNs) have already signed a support agreement for Jean Todt at an FIA meeting in Montevideo more than six months before the election began. This leaves just one club available to nominate a Vice President Sport to another candidate’s list – which is a requirement to be eligible in the Presidential election.
In the letter to the club Presidents, David Ward writes:
“The absurd situation in which just one club in North America may determine whether or not there can be a challenger to Jean Todt risks turning the FIA election into a farce. It shows clearly the detrimental effect that the Montevideo support agreement is having on the 2013 election. If any of the signatories decide to provide a Vice President to a rival candidate they have no alternative but to face the embarrassment of breaking a commitment of support for Jean Todt that they made in his presence at the Montevideo meeting – an agreement which was then subject to a photo-call and a press announcement. This is why I am asking for the support letters to be recognised as a clear breach of the FIA’s rules and revoked in my complaint to the Ethics Committee”.
Download a copy of David Ward’s letter to the FIA clubs
For further information, please visit www.wardandteam2013.com
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