The FIA has been summoned to a hearing in a French court after intended presidential candidate Laura Villars launched legal action over “serious democratic failings” relating to the election process.
Swiss racing driver Villars was one of three candidates – along with Tim Mayer and Virginie Philippot – to state their intention to run for the presidency of the FIA in this year’s election. Mayer publicly announced his withdrawal two weeks ago, citing the process – requiring prospective vice presidents that come from a list of members approved by the World Motor Sport Council – making it impossible to challenge the incumbent president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
The presidential list must feature candidates from the FIA’s six global regions, but this year’s WMSC list includes only one name from South America – Fabiana Ecclestone – who is already a member of Ben Sulayem’s team.
While neither of the other two candidates submitted presidential lists either, the Judicial Court of Paris has authorized Villars to summon the FIA to a hearing on Nov. 10, as she launches legal action “to safeguard transparency, ethics, and democratic pluralism within the FIA.”
“I have twice tried to open a constructive dialogue with the FIA on essential matters such as internal democracy and the transparency of electoral rules,” Villars said. “The responses received were not up to the challenge. I am not acting against the FIA. I am acting to protect it. Democracy is not a threat to the FIA; it is its strength.”
On top of the approval to summon the FIA, both the governing body and Villars have been invited by the court to attend a conciliation meeting; Villars has confirmed she will attend it “in a spirit of openness and good faith.”
Villars’ lawyer, Maitre Robin Binsard, says the progress shows the urgency of the case is being recognized, with the presidential election currently scheduled for Dec. 12.
“We have obtained authorization for an hour-to-hour emergency summons, which demonstrates that the Court is taking seriously the serious democratic failings within the FIA, as well as several violations of its Statutes and Regulations that we have denounced.”
The move was welcomed by Mayer, with his team saying it will provide support to the rival candidate where needed.
“As we disclosed in Austin, Texas, we have submitted ethics complaints in relation to the election,” a statement from Mayer’s campaign read. “To date we have not even received an acknowledgement from the FIA. This is typical of our experience of the handling of the election by the FIA and mirrors the experience of Laura’s campaign.
“We applaud the action taken by Laura as an important step to implement the necessary reforms for democracy and transparency. We will be supporting her effort with all the considerable knowledge and experience of our team, ultimately in the interest of seeing an open election for the FIA Member Clubs.”
