Posted on 09/04/2006 12:01:09 PM PDT by Cruising Speed
Turkish Grand Prix organisers have been summoned before world governing body the FIA, accused of breaching Formula One rules.
Controversy erupted after organisers put forward Turkish-Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat to present the winner's trophy to Felipe Massa in Istanbul on Sunday.
The Turkish-controlled area of northern Cyprus is not recognised as a separate country by the United Nations and the FIA expressed anger that their political neutrality had apparently been compromised.
Now the Turkish federation TOSFED and race organisers MSO have been called to a special meeting of the FIA's world motor sport council where they will face charges of breaching FIA and Formula One rules.
"The National Sporting Authority of Turkey (TOSFED) and the Organisers of the 2006 Turkish Grand Prix (MSO) have been called to appear before a specially convened meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris on September 19, 2006, to hear charges that they have acted in breach of the FIA Statutes, the International Sporting Code and the 2006 Formula One Sporting Regulations," the FIA said in a statement.
The FIA's action places the future of the Turkish Grand Prix in doubt, with the governing body taking such breaches of protocol very seriously.
In 1997 the Spanish circuit of Jerez was barred from hosting Formula One after the town's mayor disrupted a podium ceremony.
Just FYI, the Republic of Cyprus is the only recognized nation. Even in the US Courts, the northern area is considered occupied and the northern part is not even allowed to stand in court as a nation. (it is defined as a failed nation)
Yes, I understand the Turks are systematically destroying Christian and other non-muslim artifacts & sites in northen Cyprus.
Not only do the USA and UN not recognize northern cyprus, no country in the world recognizes it except Turkey. The only flights there are from Turkey.
I visited there by crossing the UN checkpoint, on two different days. If you don't make it back before nightfall, Southern Cyprus (the legit government) will never let you back into the country, so you have to fly back home via turkey...
The FIA is a classic bureaucracy--dictatorial and capricious. I've been following the FIA for over 20 years--no one has yet successfully crossed them. The FIA has only been headed by two persons in the last 30+ years. The current tyrant, Max Mosely, deposed Jean-Marie Balustre (the man called Mary) some years ago and looks set to rule for many more years.
I remember the Turkish invasion in the 1970s but it seems not much has been said about it since.
F1 ain't racing anyhow, so no loss.
"I visited there by crossing the UN checkpoint, on two different days."
Why?
"F1 ain't racing anyhow, so no loss."
to you perhaps but to the rest of the world it's the only motor sport that matters.
Honestly who's turkey more afraid of?
It's the greatest auto racing show on earth.
What's your problem?
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