The recent violent and disgusting demonstrations in Wellington are nothing to be proud of. Not a good look on the world stage and definitely not in flavour at home. Ugly as it is, it is now part of our history, part of nation, a result of our culture, political system and the makeup of our society. As a New Zealander, I need to own this.
Motorsport UK are right to ban all Russian and Belarusian drivers and officials from participating in sanctioned events just as Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich announcement on Wednesday that he plans to sell the Chelsea Football Club, as it is “in the best interest of the Club, the fans, the employees, as well as the Club’s sponsors and partners.” The invasion of the Ukraine is a despicable act of aggression which makes no sense.
Fortunately or unfortunately, international athletes compete under their country’s flag. At a Formula 1 Grand Prix, they play both the anthem of the winning driver’s country and the winning constructor’s country. While we are not likely to see a Russian driver win a Grand Prix in the near future, imagine how the playing of their anthem would go down in the F1 paddock.
The International Olympic Committee has recommended that all sports ban Russian or Belarusian athletes from international events although clearly the International Paralympic Committee didn’t get the memo. 24-hours after announcing it would allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete, they have now done an embarrassing u-turn, banning them.
While the 2022 Russia Grand Prix has already been cancelled, it has been announced over night that the contract with the promoter of the Grand Prix has been terminated, meaning there will be no race in St Petersburg, the new venue for the GP, from 2023 onwards.
Russian ex F1 driver Daniel Kvyat thinks it’s unfair to ban Russian athletes and teams from competition. Maybe he has a point, insignificant as it is compared with the unfairness of his country invading the Ukraine.
Kvyat may not like what his country is doing but he needs to own it, just like Abramovich has done with his intention to sell his football club.
At least two-time European Rally Champion Alexey Lukyanuk has made a stand. He does not support his Russian country’s invasion of the Ukraine and now will not compete “when people are dying,” he said.
As for Russian F1 driver Nikita Mazepin competing in the 2022 season for the American team, Haas F1? It could go several ways.
Either he won’t be able to come up with the money to pay for his drive, he may still ultimately get banned from competing or we will see him in a seat in Bahrain 21 March at the opening Grand Prix. He won’t be competing at the British Grand Prix later in the season.
Mazepin doesn’t come across as a man of integrity so we are unlikely to see him step aside and while it is not a good look for an American team to have a Russian driver, lawyers and contracts may dictate otherwise.
It is a terrible thing that Russia is inflicting upon the Ukrainian people and the world, bar four countries, agree that it must stop. Russian and Belarusian athletes must own it, even if they disagree with what is taking place.
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