FIA Foundation: Charity Commission launches formal investigation into the foundation

The Charity Commission has launched a formal investigation into the FIA’s road safety charity.

The move comes after Mohamed Bin Sulayem, president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), replaced David Richards – UK motorsport boss – as president of the organization last year.

The Charity Commission, which regulates all charities in England and Wales, has issued a temporary safeguard order, preventing the FIA ​​and its trustees “from entering into certain transactions without the prior written consent of the Commission”.

A spokesperson for the FIA ​​Foundation said: “The Charity Commission has contacted the FIA ​​Foundation to raise regulatory issues.

“The Commission informed the institution that this regulatory involvement is not the result of irregularities.

“The Trustees of the Foundation are confident that its affairs have been properly managed, and they intend to cooperate fully with the Commission to bring about a prompt resolution of the Commission’s concerns.”

Under UK law, a charity must act independently and solely to further its charitable purposes, and not be controlled by external organizations or interests.

The Charities Act 2011 states that trustees must be free from undue influence and conflicts of interest from third parties.

The Charity Commission said its investigation would examine the relationship between the FIA ​​Foundation and the FIA, “and whether any conflicts of interest have been identified and managed appropriately, with specific reference to grants made by the charity”.

It will also investigate “whether or not any of the charity’s property is at risk, and will take necessary measures to protect this property.”

The scope of the investigation may be expanded if additional regulatory issues arise, the committee said.

At least nine of the 12 FIA Foundation Trustees have senior roles elsewhere within the FIA.