Robert Reid, the FIA sports vice president and one of the most senior members of Mohammed Bensleyem’s presidential team, resigned from his position, having instant effect on what he calls a “governance crisis” within the governing body.
Scotland (Photo on the left, top) He was an important part of FIA President Ben Suleim’s campaign in 2021 and has been vice president of sports ever since. But following many controversies and departures from governing bodies cited lack of transparency under Ben Slayem, Reid has become the most famous person to step down as the most senior sports member working for the President.
His announcement attributed him to his decision to resign, saying that he would “cite a fundamental breakdown of governance standards within motorsport’s global governance bodies,” and that Reid “has expressed that a significant decision is being made without proper consultation with International or FIA members and FIA governance bodies.”
Although he does not name Ben Suraem in any of his own comments, Reed refers to the recent decision to internalize the FIA leadership that requires greater accountability and the promotion of the World Rallycross Championship (WRX) without approval from the Senate or the World Motorsports Council.
Reed called the latter change “a final violation of trust and legitimate process.” He believes that it could potentially put the FIA at legal risk under the European Union Competition Act.
“When I took on this role, it was about serving members of the FIA, not serving power,” Reid said in a statement. “As time passed, we witnessed a steady erosion of the principles we promised to support. The decisions are made behind closed doors and bypass the structures and people that exist to represent by the FIA.
“My resignation is not about personality. It’s about principles. Motorsport deserves accountable, transparent and member-led leadership. It cannot remain part of a system that does not reflect these values in sincerity.”
In December, changes to the law regarding the Ethics and Audit Committee were voted through criticism despite criticism, but on Wednesday it was further updated by Motorsports UK Chairman David Richards, who released his second open letter expressing concerns about Ben Slayem’s leadership.
Richards explained that the FIA governance and constitutional organization are becoming increasingly opaque and focused at the hands of the president alone, and “very realistic concerns expressed not only by themselves, but by more and more people.”
Richards added that while there have been many achievements that the FIA has been proud of over the past three years, “we cannot simply dismiss the demands of transparency and open discourse by allowing a change in the moral compass of leadership.”
Richards continues to seek resolutions on his concerns relating to non-disclosure agreements, but Reed also says he will remain involved in trying to influence changes within the governing body.
“This is not the end of my service to motorsports,” Reid added. “I will continue to advocate for reform, transparency and governance that respects the integrity of FIA members and our sport.”
Ben Sulayem is expected to debut in Formula 1 races this season at Bahrain Grand Prix, with a meeting scheduled for future power unit regulations.
The FIA later issued a statement acknowledging Reid’s comments, but did not directly address some of his concerns related to the world’s RX claims.
“The FIA is grateful to Robert Reed’s contribution to the FIA and to motorsports more widely,” the statement read. “The FIA has a very robust corporate governance policy that guides our operations and ensures that our rules, practices and processes are adhered to.
“The FIA World Rallycross Championship is a very popular sport. In recent years, rallycross events across the world and Europe have been viewed by audiences of over 30 million viewers, spanning over 100 countries.
“FIA has invested directly in the Championship for the benefit of fans, teams and FIA member clubs. This investment is in line with FIA’s commitment to double participation in motorsports.”
Note: This story has been updated to include a statement from the FIA.