Since the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, the unsolicited political expression of athletes and teams has become fashionable in sports as well. This phenomenon is extremely divisive, so sports diplomacy also saw it as better to keep politics away. The wearing of rainbow armbands was first banned at the World Cup in Qatar, and then FIFA rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's speech before the World Cup final. The new winds have also reached Formula 1, with the drivers having to authorize their political or religious statements from next season.
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) announced on Tuesday that a new clause has been added to the sports regulations, which refers to prior approval. Based on this, the competitors will in the future break the rules if they "give statements or even make comments of a political, religious or personal nature" without the prior approval of the FIA. The regulation also applies when they display their views in a way that is accessible to the public, such as on social media sites or on their clothing, and thereby violate the organization's neutrality.
Recently, F1 world champion drivers Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel have taken a stand on issues that have sparked political controversy.
MTI
Photo: The Sun
