The chair of Motorsport UK says he’s dissatisfied with the FIA’s response to issues he raised in a letter final month threatening authorized motion.
David Richards published an open letter last month warning the FIA they “can be partaking in additional authorized motion” if his issues over the usage of a “gagging order” weren’t addressed. The Motorsport UK chair revealed he and different members had been barred from a World Motor Sport Council assembly for refusing to signal a brand new confidentiality settlement.
Motorsport UK in the present day revealed a response to the letter, which was despatched by the FIA’s common supervisor Alberto Villarreal on Monday. Villarreal insisted the confidentiality settlement that was put to Richards and others is “very a lot a typical a part of enterprise.”
“As a accountable member of the Council and somebody who operates with integrity, I belief that you may don’t have any cheap objection to an settlement which merely serves to strengthen present duties of confidentiality, and which is in step with greatest observe for an organisation of the FIA’s obligations and standing,” Villarreal added. “There isn’t a query of this being a ‘gagging order’ as your letter characterises it.”
In a reply issued to Motorsport UK members in the present day, Richards made his dissatisfaction with Villarreal’s response clear.
“What’s disappointing on this letter from Alberto is the disregard for the very actual issues which have been expressed, not simply on my own, however a rising variety of individuals, that the governance and constitutional organisation of the FIA is changing into ever extra opaque and concentrating energy within the palms of the President alone,” he wrote.
Richards reiterated his view that the FIA had taken illegal motion by barring him from attending the assembly and mentioned he hopes to lift the matter with president Mohammed Ben Sulayem quickly.
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“My present concern is with a requirement to signal an amended confidentiality settlement that doesn’t comprise a transparent process for evaluating a breach nor an unbiased course of within the occasion of a dispute,” Richards defined. “I stand by my assertion that that is in impact a ‘gagging order’ and but these factors are merely batted away by Alberto, the FIA Basic Supervisor. Moreover, the following motion to exclude me from the WMSC assembly is in contravention with the FIA Statutes and illegal underneath French legislation.”
“There are various issues to be happy with that the FIA staff in Geneva have achieved over the past three years,” he added. “However we can not permit a shift of the ethical compass of our management to easily dismiss any request for transparency and open discourse.
“I’m within the Center East for the subsequent week and hope that I could meet with the FIA President to specific my views head to head and agree an appropriate end result.”
FIA Letter to David Richards, from Alberto Villarreal, FIA Basic Supervisor, seventh April 2025
Expensive David,
Following your open letter of fifth March 2025 to members of Motorsport UK made publicly accessible on its web site and picked up by the media relating to your opinions on the FIA President’s first time period of workplace since 2021, I felt it was essential to deal with your feedback and make clear the numerous steps the FIA underneath the management of our President has taken to remodel and enhance the organisation, monetary efficiency and governance of the FIA.
The FIA, as is frequent in enterprise, and I’m positive within the many organisations that you’ve led, has procedures in place to guard and safeguard confidential info, together with confidentiality agreements. Such agreements are very a lot a typical a part of enterprise.
The unauthorised disclosure of knowledge not solely damages the FIA however undermines our potential to fulfil our mission to member golf equipment impacting the aims of rising motorsport participation, rising accessibility and cultivating innovation within the sport we love.
It’s subsequently unsurprising that these steps the FIA has taken to protect confidentiality had been overwhelmingly supported by a brilliant majority of World Motor Sport Council members. With this in thoughts, we battle to grasp your reluctance to be certain by the identical phrases and circumstances as your fellow members, given you acknowledge the harm the quite a few leaks from the World Motor Sport Council have made to the FIA’s mission.
As a accountable member of the Council and somebody who operates with integrity, I belief that you may don’t have any cheap objection to an settlement which merely serves to strengthen present duties of confidentiality, and which is in step with greatest observe for an organisation of the FIA’s obligations and standing. There isn’t a query of this being a “gagging order” as your letter characterises it.
Below the management of its President, the FIA is delivering an enduring and optimistic legacy in help of the Federation’s international mission.
Through the President’s first time period in workplace, the FIA has made exceptional strides enhancing the monetary efficiency, governance, and international engagement to make sure the long-term sustainability of motorsport and mobility. The monetary turnaround is obvious, with a projected €2.2 million enchancment in 2024 in comparison with the €24 million deficit that the President inherited in 2021.
The President’s dedication to regional empowerment has strengthened collaboration throughout motorsport and mobility, fostering data sharing and strategic initiatives that drive progress. World motorsport participation continues to develop, with 2.7 million contributors collaborating in 60,700 annual occasions, throughout 7,200 venues.
Below the President’s management, the FIA has made key funding selections, such because the current takeover of the FIA World Rallycross Championship operations, and his imaginative and prescient of bringing an eleventh staff to the Method 1 grid, replicate our ambition to increase fan engagement, elevate our sport’s international presence, and defend it for future generations.
All through the President’s interval in workplace, he has proven an unwavering dedication to range, inclusion, and accessibility that’s mirrored in our international management and initiatives. With over a 3rd of our FIA colleagues being feminine—together with senior leaders and international vice presidents—all of us proceed to champion a extra inclusive group.
Furthering the President’s dedication to doubling international motorsport, the launch of the Inexpensive Cross Automobile programme, Motorsport in a Field, and the World Karting Plan proceed to open doorways to entry-level motorsport participation and have elevated the accessibility and sustainability to motorsport for golf equipment worldwide.
Sustainability stays a precedence to the FIA, and we are going to unveil an up to date 2025 technique that strengthens the FIA’s international environmental commitments, whereas our engagement with governmental and worldwide establishments, together with the UN and European Fee, amplifies advocacy for mobility and sport. This dedication is underscored by the President’s appointment in September 2024 as a UN Tourism’s Ambassador for Sustainable Tourism.
We’ve got led the enlargement of the FIA College which underscores our mission to empower members with the data to navigate evolving rules and challenges, whereas the digitalisation of the eLibrary and archive has, to this point, safeguarded over 1,600 irreplaceable items of sporting and mobility historical past for future generations.
Below the President’s management, the FIA is driving the way forward for motorsport and mobility with innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability on the forefront.
We’re all, on the FIA, are very happy with all that has been completed within the first Presidential time period and central to those achievements have been his efforts to enhance the FIA’s organisation and governance.
We’d ask that this response is shared with the members of Motorsport UK and revealed on its web site in full.
Yours sincerely,
Alberto Villarreal
FIA Basic Supervisor
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Open letter to Motorsport UK Members from David Richards, Chair of Motorsport UK, ninth April 2025
Expensive Members,
On 7 April 2025, I acquired a letter from the Basic Supervisor of the FIA, Alberto Villareal, which, as per his request, now we have revealed HERE in full for everybody to learn.
We welcome an open and clear dialogue on the efficiency of the FIA, as needs to be the case for each member owned organisation. I want to clarify that I’ve the best respect for the staff on the FIA who work tirelessly on behalf of the game and their achievements over the past three years. They proceed to take care of the best requirements of security and regulatory excellence that’s anticipated of motorsport’s world governing physique and this has by no means been my concern.
What’s disappointing on this letter from Alberto is the disregard for the very actual issues which have been expressed, not simply on my own, however a rising variety of individuals, that the governance and constitutional organisation of the FIA is changing into ever extra opaque and concentrating energy within the palms of the President alone. My earlier letter to members defined these issues and for completeness I additionally connect this for reference.
My present concern is with a requirement to signal an amended confidentiality settlement that doesn’t comprise a transparent process for evaluating a breach nor an unbiased course of within the occasion of a dispute. I stand by my assertion that that is in impact a ‘gagging order’ and but these factors are merely batted away by Alberto, the FIA Basic Supervisor. Moreover, the following motion to exclude me from the WMSC assembly is in contravention with the FIA Statutes and illegal underneath French legislation.
I very a lot hope that regardless of Alberto’s letter, dismissing these materials points, we’d but have a smart dialogue with the authorized counsel of the FIA and resolve these factors. They don’t seem to be insurmountable, however as at the moment written they’re wholly inappropriate. A lot in order that numerous different events have expressed the identical issues which has resulted in variations to the agreements that they’ve signed. That chance has not but been afforded to me.
So, in conclusion, there are lots of issues to be happy with that the FIA staff in Geneva have achieved over the past three years. However we can not permit a shift of the ethical compass of our management to easily dismiss any request for transparency and open discourse.
I’m within the Center East for the subsequent week and hope that I could meet with the FIA President to specific my views head to head and agree an appropriate end result.
Sort Regards,
David Richards CBE
Motorsport UK Chair
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