FIA General assembly decisions

The FIA General Assembly held in Paris today marked the end of the annual meetings week, attended by sport and mobility members from around the world. The FIA President, Jean Todt, opened the formal business of the session which commenced at 2pm and ended at 5pm. The following decisions were taken:

Amendments to the International Sporting Code

The General Assembly approved the World Motor Sport Council proposed modifications to the International Sporting Code in relation to:

— Competitor’s Staff Licence: All those involved in the FIA World Championships are directly subject to the FIA’s jurisdiction. Those who are guilty of conduct contrary to the FIA regulations will be denied access to the areas under the control of the FIA in the events counting towards these championships. The procedure for implementing this system will be examined within the framework of working groups specific to each of the FIA World Championships.

— Road Traffic Offences: The FIA is allowed to impose sanctions on Super Licence holders who commit road traffic offences.

— Fines that can be imposed by the Stewards of the meeting in case of infringement: “…the maximum fine that shall be inflicted is 250,000 euros.”

— Sports betting: the FIA adopted regulations aiming to preserve and maintain the integrity of motor sport when it is endangered by improper betting.

Statutes Review Commission

Created one year ago, the Statutes Review Commission ensures that the FIA is best adapted to reality and best equipped to deal with future challenges. Within the context of its work, the Statutes Review Commission asked a working group to draw up proposals on the organisation and operation of the judicial role of the FIA. Upon the completion of the working group’s task, the Statutes Review Commission validated a draft amendment of the Statutes and a draft of Disciplinary and Judicial Rules of the FIA.

The General Assembly unanimously adopted the amendments of the Statutes and the new Judicial and Disciplinary Rules of the FIA.

The following judicial organisation will come into effect as of 1 January 2011: independent judges elected by the General Assembly on proposal of a Judicial Appointment Committee and an International Tribunal in addition to the existing International Court of Appeal.

The Judicial Appointment Committee (JAC) is tasked with examining applications to become a judge in the International Tribunal or the International Court of Appeal, and to propose candidates to the General Assembly for election. The JAC comprises one representative of each World Council, two representatives appointed by the Sporting Commissions in charge of the FIA World Championships, and the current President of the Congress of the International Court of Appeal.

The International Tribunal (IT) will exercise disciplinary authority in the first instance for example in the FIA Formula One World Championship and will judge all infringements of the Statutes, the International Sporting Code and the regulations of the FIA, without prejudice to the powers of the stewards of the meeting at the events. It will comprise 12 judges who will act totally independent of the World Councils and of other FIA bodies. The decisions of the IT can be appealed before the ICA.

The International Court of Appeal (ICA) will keep its present powers and will essentially continue to operate in the same manner. It will comprise 24 judges who will act totally independent of the World Councils and of other FIA bodies.

The IT and the ICA will be comprised of judges nominated by competitors of the five FIA World Championships.

The General Assembly approved the nominations of the judges of the International Tribunal and the International Court of Appeal who were proposed by the JAC.