The FIA says “due process was followed” in the departure of a former employee after sexism allegations emerged against its president. Rao was the FIA’s former interim secretary general for motorsport, who left after just six months in the role. Responding to a series of questions from BBC Sport about the specific allegations and Ben Sulayem’s wider behaviour arising from the report, the FIA said in a statement: “Due process was followed, with an amicable negotiation conducted by the president of the senate and, as such, no referrals were made to the ethics committee. The allegations reported about Rao are the latest in a series of controversies to embroil Ben Sulayem since he became FIA president in December 2021. The FIA said at that time that the remarks did not reflect his current beliefs.

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