Recently, FIA has banned drivers from making any political statement using the Formula One platform since 2023. The outlaw has been imposed in order to match the regulations implemented in other International sports. FIA simply said, “Keep politics away from sports.” But this keeps the drivers away from raising their voices against social issues. Now, no driver will be able to protest against any government policy like that of BLACK LIVES MATTER.
But Lewis Hamilton is one of the Formula One drivers who never left a chance to protest against the injustices taking place in the world. As he is an F1 driver, he uses the sports platform to gain attention. Now that FIA has made it illegal, several human rights groups started considering it wrong.
Now, making political statements on race weekends needs prior permission from FIA. Otherwise, sanctions will be implemented against the drivers. Two of the most active drivers are Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel. They often have been spotted doing protests by wearing printed T-shirts and helmets. However, now that these gestures are banned, BIRD, The Bahrain Institute For Rights and Democracy, started criticizing FIA. They believe that the ban is impacting the drivers’ human rights. The Human Rights Institute has also sent a letter to the FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem requesting him to “end the disastrous policy of suppressing the drivers’ voice.”
According to the Mirror Sport, the letter sent by BIRD’s director Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei reads, “The recent move taken by the governing body of Formula One is clearly targeted at drivers like Lewis Hamilton who has used his sporting platform to express support for Black Lives Matter and other human rights in countries with problematic human rights records, including Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.”
“If FIA Can Make Political Statements, Why Can’t The Drivers Do That,” Said The Bahrain Institute For Rights And Democracy
BIRD believes that the seven-time world champion has never released any such statement that can be considered any more political than FIA itself has made, like the withdrawal of the race in Russia. The Russian Gran Prix was abolished because the nation illegally invaded Ukraine. Is it not political enough? Whenever Lewis Hamilton spoke, he spoke about issues like the LGBTQ community’s rights, Black Lives Matter, and social injustices.
In the letter, Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei tried to remind FIA that these little political statements are not meant to harm the sport. Being a driver never means you are not a part of a community. And if anything wrong happens in his community, what is wrong with speaking about it? The director of BIRD believes that the way FIA condemned Russia for invading Ukraine, claiming it to be sad and shocking for victims, was really good. It was applauded. But this is also political.
And still, if you try to proceed with these actions, you have no right to stop the drivers from speaking against social issues. Alwadaei said, “If FIA does not believe this [ban of the Russian Grand Prix] can be considered political. Then it is unclear what is”? He concluded the request by asking FIA to let the drivers enjoy the same rights as they do. Let them be free to express their moral stances.
