The FIA General Assembly, held in Istanbul, Turkey, today, marked the end of the annual meeting week attended by sport and mobility FIA Member Clubs from around the world and which culminates with the FIA Prize Giving Gala this evening. The FIA President, Jean Todt, along with Senate President Nick Craw and Deputy Presidents Brian Gibbons and Graham Stoker, welcomed the delegates to the meeting and, on behalf of the General Assembly, thanked hosts Demir Berberoglu, Műmtaz Tahincioglu and the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation for their support, assistance and hospitality.

In his opening address, Jean Todt reviewed his long-term vision for a more efficient, responsive and forward-thinking global organisation and outlined the progress and achievements of the FIA in the areas of governance, administration, motor sport and support services, as well as acknowledging the FIA’s engagement with other global bodies. He also thanked the FIA Member Clubs for their on-going support and underlined the FIA’s commitment to become recognised as one of the world’s great sporting and consumer Federations.

The following decisions were taken during the meeting:

Amendments to the FIA Statutes

Amendments have been made to the FIA Statutes, following the work of the Statutes Review Commission, in order to better service the interests of the FIA and its members today and in the future. These amendments are as follows:

A. From 1 January 2013

- In order to safeguard the integrity and reputation of motor sport, automobile mobility and tourism and individual members worldwide, an FIA Code of Ethics has been adopted and an Ethics Committee established within the FIA. The Ethics Committee members were elected by the General Assembly upon proposal of the FIA affiliated Clubs as follows:

Members nominated by the WCAMT:
For 4 years – Ajmalul Hossain QC, NZAA (New Zealand)
For 2 years – Robert Croll, ANWB (The Netherlands)

Members nominated by the WMSC:
For 4 years – Viviane Monteiro, CBA (Brazil)
For 2 years – Robert Jones, MSA (Great Britain)

Member nominated by the Senate:        
For 2 years – Gabriela Barreto, ACP (Portugal)

- To reflect its provisional recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the FIA has established a Drivers’ Commission within its structure. The aim of the Commission is to ensure drivers’ voices are heard within the FIA and to examine questions concerning drivers and the sporting discipline and advise the FIA about them, represent the rights and interests of the drivers and draw up recommendations accordingly, and to maintain contact with the IOC’s Athletes’ Commission and those of other international federations. There will be a maximum of 10 members, including the Commission President and Vice President.

Emerson Fittipaldi (Brazil) was elected as the President of the Drivers’ Commission, and the General Assembly has given a mandate to the WMSC to finalise the Commission members by March 2013.

B. From the next General Assembly (2013)

- ACTA and ACTAC will remain as Regional subdivisions of Region 1, but the FIA Statutes will recognise their right, at any time in the future, to apply to the General Assembly to become regions in their own right. The FIA Statutes will specify that the Chairmen of ACTA and ACTAC, together with the four regional Presidents, all automatically become WCAMT members and serve as Vice Presidents representing their regions and regional subdivisions.

- The term of office of the President of the Manufacturers’ Commission and the CIK President is specified as four years, in order to make the term and end of these mandates coincide with that of the WMSC members.

C. From 1 January 2014

- All existing club rights to FIA membership are reconfirmed and the core competencies of the Mobility Clubs have been redefined to include mobility assistance, tourism and an advocacy role. The mobility regions will set out in their Internal Regulations the implementation criteria to be considered within the FIA affiliation process, these revised Internal Regulations being submitted to the FIA General Assembly in December 2013.

Judicial and Disciplinary Rules

The amount of the appeal fee has been reduced to €6000 for all cases, including the World Karting Championship, and remains €12,000 for cases concerning all other major FIA Championships.

International Historical Commission

The General Assembly approved the re-election of Michel de Thomasson (FRA) as President of the International Historical Commission, along with its members.

Sporting Commissions

The composition of the Sporting Commissions was approved as follows:

Mobility Commissions

The General Assembly accepted the proposals from the World Council for Automobile Mobility and Tourism regarding the appointment of Presidents for the new Policy and Services Commissions and the Customs Council. The Presidents are:

FIA Mobility Policy Commission
Johann Grill, Allegemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club E.V. (ADAC)

FIA Mobility Services Commission
Frank Fotia, Canadian Automobile Association (CAA)

AIT/FIA Customs Council
Riyadh Almalik, Saudi Automobile-Touring Association (SATA)

International Tribunal and International Court of Appeal

The General Assembly approved the nomination of four judges to the International Tribunal and nine judges to the International Court of Appeal, each proposed by the Judicial Appointment Committee.

The Congress and General Assembly also expressed their sincere thanks to outgoing judge John Cassidy (USA) for his dedication and competence throughout his years of service to the activities of the International Court of Appeal.

Anti-Doping Disciplinary Committee

The General Assembly approved the nomination of four members to the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Committee proposed by the WMSC. The members, who will serve from 2013-2015, are:

Dr. Linda Savitri Baboolal (TTO)
Dr. Balakrishna Uday Kumar (IND)
Dr. Saul Collini (ITA)
Dr. Erik Hagen (AUS)

World Council for Automobile Mobility & Tourism

The General Assembly confirmed its total support for the Second UN Global Road Safety Week (6-12 May 2013) and called upon all FIA Members to publicly endorse this initiative and engage in a substantive way by committing to education, advocacy and other initiatives and activities that will focus on improving pedestrian safety.

The WCAMT proposals for vacant mandates were also approved by the General Assembly as follows:

- To co-opt Takayoshi Yashiro (JAF), to replace Setsuo Tanaka (JAF), on proposal of
  Region II
- To co-opt Ross Herron (AAAus), to replace Ray Grigg (AAAus), on proposal of Region II
- To co-opt TK Malhotra (FIAA), to replace Augusto Lagman (AAP), on proposal of Region II

Ross Herron was also elected as a new Vice President for Automobile Mobility and Tourism for the remaining term of office (up to the 2013 General Assembly), replacing Augusto Lagman.

Amendments to the International Sporting Code

The General Assembly approved amendments proposed by the WMSC with a view to giving the possibility for ASNs, whose facilities are insufficient for organising national karting events, to authorise their drivers to compete in national karting events of one or several bordering countries with the agreement of the ASN(s) concerned and to rely on the events of the national Championship of one or several bordering countries to organise its own karting Championship with the agreement of the ASN(s) concerned.

New Members to the FIA

The FIA is proud to enlarge its membership and international representation by welcoming the following organisations into its structure:

Association Hondurena de Automovilismo Deportivo
Automobile Club du Benin
Automobile Club du Gabon
Belize Automobile Club
Botswana Motor Sports
Fédération Ivoirienne de Sport Automobile
Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club
National Center of Automobile Sport of Turkmenistan
Automobile and Touring Club of Nigeria

Noted and Welcomed

On proposal of the FIA President, the General Assembly approved the nomination of Angelo Sticchi Damiani as a new Vice President for Sport, replacing Enrico Gelpi for the remaining term of office (up to the 2013 General Assembly). The General Assembly also expressed its sincere thanks to Enrico Gelpi for his dedication and commitment to the FIA.
 
Date of next meeting

The 2013 FIA Annual General Assembly and Prize Giving Gala will take place in Paris, France, on 6 December. 

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