17/04/2025 14:10
The former FIA deputy president for sport Robert Reid has shed
further light on his decision to step down from the governing body.
Reid's shock resignation came on the eve of the Bahrain Grand Prix
last weekend following over three years in the role. The Briton was
critical of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and cited a
"fundamental breakdown in governance standards within motorsport's
global governing body" as the reason behind his exit. Taking to
substack, Reid added more context behind his decision to depart the
organisation, highlighting his final straw was the FIA's pursuit to
take over the running of the World Rallycross Championship. "One of
the clearest and most troubling examples of this breakdown involved
the internalisation of the World Rallycross Championship," Reid
wrote. "I repeatedly raised concerns, both about the governance
process and potential legal implications, and received no response,
despite my elected responsibilities and fiduciary obligations.
"Eventually, I had no choice but to seek external legal advice and
support. Only then did I receive a response, but unfortunately it
lacked the clarity and rigour I had hoped for. I was told, in broad
terms, that the governance process was sound and there was no legal
risk. "But no evidence or explanation was offered to support those
assurances. As someone accountable to the membership and exposed to
personal liability, that was simply not acceptable." Reid locked
out of FIA email after NDA disput Tensions were growing prior to
the FIA's move to take over running the World RX after Reid was
prohibited from attending a meeting after he allegedly opted not to
sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement. Reid stated there was more to the
situation than a flat-out refusal, but the situation turned even
more sour when he became locked out of his official FIA email
account. "I also want to address recent speculation regarding the
Non-Disclosure Agreement amendment. I fully support the need for
confidentiality and have personally been deeply frustrated at the
number of leaks that undermine trust and effective governance.
"One journalist said to me that perhaps the FIA should be more
concerned with why people are leaking than who is doing it and I
think that's worth reflecting. "I did not refuse to sign the NDA
amendment. I simply requested a short extension in order to seek
legal advice on a complex document governed by Swiss law, which was
presented with a relatively short deadline. That request was
denied. "As a result, I was excluded from the World Motor Sport
Council meeting, in my view, both unfairly and unlawfully. "Ten
days later, my FIA email was disabled without notice. Multiple
requests for assistance and explanation went unanswered until,
following a legal letter from my counsel, I was informed this had
been a deliberate decision." Reid was treated 'unfairly' for
speaking up against FIA Reid outlined despite his exit from the FIA
he is "bound by confidentiality obligations" and has vowed to
"respect those legal responsibilities". However, the 59-year-old
took aim at how the concerns he raised were treated within the
organisation. "I spoke up when I felt fundamental principles were
being eroded," Reid stated. "I did so respectfully, constructively,
and always with the aim of safeguarding the integrity of our sport.
"But doing so came at a cost. It became clear that raising
legitimate concerns was not always welcomed and I experienced
firsthand how challenging the status quo can lead to exclusion
rather than dialogue. "I don't regret speaking up. But I do
believe I was treated unfairly for doing so. "Leadership matters.
Governance matters. And trust, once lost, is hard to rebuild. If
motorsport is to remain credible and thrive into the future, it
must be governed not by control, but by collaboration. Not by
silence, but by accountability. "A lot of people have asked what
comes next. The truth is, this was never about a 'next move'. It
was about saying: 'this isn't good enough, and I can't be part of
it anymore'."
