Ward accuses Todt of breaking FIA election rules

2013 F1 season

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FIA presidential candidate David Ward has accused incumbent Jean Todt of unethical conduct in his attempt to influence the outcome of the election.

Ward will submit a report to the FIA’s Ethics Committee over what he describes as Todt’s practice of using FIA resources towards his re-election bid.

“It is vital that the FIA election processes are conducted in a fair, democratic and transparent manner,” said Ward, who accused Todt of using FIA-funded meetings to request motor sport clubs to sign letters supporting his candidacy.

Ward published a photograph of Todt on his website which Ward claims shows the FIA president holding one of the letters of support while at a meeting in Uruguay in March.

“I believe that demanding signature of support agreements in these circumstances represents a serious violation of the FIA’s rules, regulations and ethical code,” Ward continued.

“The complaint will enable the Ethics Committee to investigate the legitimacy of these agreements, the circumstances in which signatures were demanded, and whether it is an appropriate use of the FIA’s resources for its staff and management to pursue Mr Todt’s personal re-election ambitions at official FIA regional meetings.”

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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16 comments on “Ward accuses Todt of breaking FIA election rules”

  1. Hm, is this going to be a mudslinger campaing? I don’t think that is the best way forward. Surely Ward could do a great job by offering transparent, communicative focus on further building up the things the FIA is good at and its members want to support.

    1. Have a look at his “agenda” http://wardandteam2013.com/agenda-for-change/ — there’s not very much meat on the bones, mostly waffle about internal organization…

  2. Instead of attacking Todt and saying that he’s not very good, try to make everyone believe that you are the better choice by bringing something better to the table.

    1. Which won’t matter if Todt has already made everyone agree to vote for him.

      1. @mike – Where is the evidence that he is “making” them vote for him? If Todt were to lose the election, he would be powerless to make good on any threats he made while President. It’s more likely that this is Todt doing what politicians do in an election year: making promises to voters. In this case, he is able to exchange those promises for support from motoring federations.

        1. @prisoner-monkeys

          Where is the evidence that he is “making” them vote for him?

          In the article. “I believe that demanding signature of support agreements”

          1. @mike – That’s not evidence. That’s an opinion. Ward claims that Todt forced the Uruguayans support him in the election, but offers no evidence to support this hypothesis.

          2. Oh good god man. Ward is claiming that Todt is making people agree to vote for him before hand. Ergo, if that is the case, then Ward is right to bring it up.

            I never said Ward was right.

    2. Creating fear among voters and concentrating on personalities rather than policies worked pretty well for our new government. I imagine Ward is thinking along similar lines.

      Although his case does seem fairly specious here. He would have to demonstrate that Todt knew that the letter violated the policy when he approved its use.

      Of course, making a big deal out of trivial issues whilst ignoring the actual issues also helped our new government get elected.

    3. Vatanen tried that last time and as expected, lost. The whole process is so bent, there is virtually no chance of winning unless something remarkable happens which I guess is what Ward is trying to do…

      I don’t agree and it instantly makes me think that he isn’t the man for the job but simply running a normal campaign and proving that you are better than Todt won’t win you the position.

    4. I couldn’t agree more. He needs to stop acting like a child and have a serious and real campaign. At first, I was for some of the things he was writing and proposing, but the past day or two of him shooting off his mouth is only going to help Todt, provided if Todt keeps his mouth shut…

  3. Funny Ward is saying this while today rumors are also saying his campaign is being funded by none other then Max ‘hands of my f1’ Mosley.

    1. Would not surprise me as Ward & Mosley are very good friends & Im fairly sure it was Max who brought David Ward into the FIA.

      David used to be a member of the Labour party in the 80s I believe & it was he who helped Max & Bernie meet with people of Tony Blair’s government when they were lobbying against the Tobacco sponsorship ban in 1997.

      1. The problem what I have with this is that someon who is being funded by someone who has been FIA president in the past doesn’t really have the right to talk about ethics.

        This doesn’t mean though he is not right about Todt violating ethics and FIA rules as well.

  4. Nothing about this surprises me. The whole process seems to be a skullduggery festival. Wouldn’t it be refreshing if the prime requirement for both candidates was honesty… Ho, hum!

  5. Todt, unethical…no way !!!!!!!!

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