Nikita Mazepin (Credits: F1)
The Haas driver’s future in the sport will be decided in an emergency FIA meeting
Formula One’s only Russian driver Nikita Mazepin could be banned as a reactionary measure to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Mazepin represents Haas F1 team which is partly owned by his billionaire Russian father, Dmitry Mazepin.
The Haas F1 team had earlier removed all branding stickers of their Russian sponsor, Uralkali from their cars. Haas cars were seen racing in their official white livery without the stickers in their last testing session in Barcelona. FIA have called an emergency meeting and Nikita Mazepin’s future in the sport will be a top agenda.
The FIA have already cancelled the Russian Grand Prix which was scheduled to be hosted in Sochi on September 25. Mazepin’s ability to attend all races even if he is not banned is uncertain.
There are many countries that are considering revoking travel visas for Russians which would mean Mazepin won’t be able to travel to those particular countries. Haas principal Guenther Steiner has already stated Mazepin’s place isn’t guaranteed.
Haas are presently having talks with their sponsor, Uralkali which is owned by Nikita Mazepin’s father. Both parties will look to come to a mutually beneficial conclusion. If Mazepin isn’t allowed to race, Haas will have to find a replacement driver before the season begins this month in Bahrain.
Football’s global governing body FIFA has banned Russia from participating in all its competitions including the World Cup. The European football federation, UEFA have disqualified Russian club, Spartak Moscow from the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League.
The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) have suspended the Russian Ice Hockey teams from participating in international matches. The IIHF have also stripped Russia of the hosting rights of the 2023 World Youth Championship.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) have recommended that athletes from Russia and Belarus are banned from all international sporting events. The IOC revoked the Olympic Order from Russian President, Vladimir Putin. The IOC said that it would normally not punish athletes for the decisions of a Government if they are not actively participating in them, but the war in Ukraine is an exceptional circumstance. The committee has made the decision in order to “protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all participants.”
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