On March 5, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) announced condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraineand in that notice it suspended the Russian Motor Federation (MFR) and the Belarusian Motor Sports Federation (BFMS) from FIM-sanctioned events.
The action also bans Russians and Belarusians from participating in FIM-sanctioned events, and recommends that the associate members of the FIM Continental Union and FIM take the same action.
The North American FIM will comply with that requirement, meaning Russian and Belarusian riders are banned from participating in events run by the American Motorcyclists Association (AMA) and the Canadian Motor Association (CMA).
FIM North America’s action is largely symbolic, as the organization explains below, the FIM’s suspension of the MFR and BFMS was enough to prevent Russian and Belarusian drivers from competing:
“Race racers are often required to secure the right to originate from their home federation to race abroad or to be released from their home federation for the federation of the host country. Since the rights and privileges of the Russian and Belarusian confederations were suspended by the FIM, neither was able to authorize initiation nor provide a release. As a matter of fact, riders from those federations were banned from riding in other countries under the FIM’s original action. “
Regardless of the form, the recognition by the North American FIM only adds to the support the motorcycle industry is showing for the Ukrainian people and their struggle against the encroachment of Russian sovereignty.
Source: FIM North America
