FIA emulates FIFA in clampdown on F1 drivers’ political gestures · RaceFans

For decades, athletes have stepped out in support of or opposition to various social, religious and political issues. Formula 1 drivers joined them in recent years, becoming increasingly outspoken on human rights matters.

Now the sport’s governing body, the FIA, has reacted. As RaceFans revealed yesterday, drivers and other participants in FIA events have been told that from next year they may not make “political statements” without the governing body’s permission.

The clampdown has come about through a revision to the International Sporting Code. It is broadly worded, stating that prohibited actions now include “the general making and display of political, religious and personal statements or comments notably in violation of the general principle of neutrality promoted by the FIA under its Statutes unless previously approved in writing by the FIA for International Competitions, or by the relevant ASN for National Competitions within their jurisdiction.”

An FIA spokesperson explained the change when contacted by RaceFans. “The ISC has been updated in alignment with the political neutrality of sport as a universal fundamental ethical principle of the Olympic Movement, enshrined in the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Code of Ethics, together with the principle of the universality set out in Article 1.2,” they noted.

As the spokesperson noted, the FIA’s Statutes already held that: “The FIA shall 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 same statute also states: “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.”

The new rule gives the FIA considerable power over how drivers can express themselves. It remains to be seen how broadly this rule may be interpreted, and which activities previously accepted by the FIA may now be considered a breach of regulations.

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Sport has long been used as a platform for protest by athletes who wanted to have their say on current affairs which affected them personally, or to act as allies for others. At the 1968 Mexico City…