Post by blacktulip on Nov 13, 2009 19:07:00 GMT
The FIA has reacted angrily to the “selective leaking” of documents from former Renault team boss Flavio Briatore’s legal case against the governing body which is due to be heard later this month.
Briatore will appear in France’s high court, the Tribunal de Grande Instance, on November 24 in a bid to overturn his lifetime ban from FIA-affiliated motorsport and driver management after being found guilty by the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council of conspiring to fix the result of last year’s Singapore Grand Prix.
Under two weeks ahead of the hearing in Paris, the Guardian newspaper on Thursday published extracts from Briatore’s case with the 59-year-old to allege that the WMSC, which was chaired by then FIA president Max Mosley, was “clearly blinded by an excessive desire for personal revenge".
The newspaper reports that Briatore, who did not attend the WMSC hearing after resigning from his post at Renault and has always publicly denied the charges, will also sue for a minium sum of €1m (£900,000) in compensation over the damage done to his reputation.
On Thursday afternoon the FIA issued a statement in which it criticised the leaking of information and dismissed the allegations that had emerged.
“The FIA condemns the selective leaking of extracts from Mr Briatore’s pleadings to the Tribunal de Grande Instance in Paris,” said the FIA statement.
“The FIA rejects the allegations made in these leaks and confirms that the decision to impose a sanction against Mr Briatore was made by an overwhelming majority of the attending World Motor Sport Council members.
“In respect for the authority of the French Court, it would be entirely inappropriate for the FIA to comment further on this matter in advance of the hearing.”
Briatore will appear in France’s high court, the Tribunal de Grande Instance, on November 24 in a bid to overturn his lifetime ban from FIA-affiliated motorsport and driver management after being found guilty by the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council of conspiring to fix the result of last year’s Singapore Grand Prix.
Under two weeks ahead of the hearing in Paris, the Guardian newspaper on Thursday published extracts from Briatore’s case with the 59-year-old to allege that the WMSC, which was chaired by then FIA president Max Mosley, was “clearly blinded by an excessive desire for personal revenge".
The newspaper reports that Briatore, who did not attend the WMSC hearing after resigning from his post at Renault and has always publicly denied the charges, will also sue for a minium sum of €1m (£900,000) in compensation over the damage done to his reputation.
On Thursday afternoon the FIA issued a statement in which it criticised the leaking of information and dismissed the allegations that had emerged.
“The FIA condemns the selective leaking of extracts from Mr Briatore’s pleadings to the Tribunal de Grande Instance in Paris,” said the FIA statement.
“The FIA rejects the allegations made in these leaks and confirms that the decision to impose a sanction against Mr Briatore was made by an overwhelming majority of the attending World Motor Sport Council members.
“In respect for the authority of the French Court, it would be entirely inappropriate for the FIA to comment further on this matter in advance of the hearing.”
