Wilson Nominated As Fia Deputy President For Sport

Leading rally squad leader Malcolm Wilson has been nominated arsenic nan caller lawman president for athletics astatine motorsport's governing assemblage nan FIA.

The 69-year-old has been chosen by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to switch Robert Reid, who resigned 2 weeks ago.

FIA members will ballot connected Wilson's information astatine nan organisation's General Assembly successful Macau successful June.

Wilson, a erstwhile British rally champion, is nan managing head of M-Sport, which has tally Ford's world rally title programme since 1997.

Reid resigned complete what he described arsenic "a basal breakdown successful governance standards wrong motorsport's world governing body".

His move followed a bid of controversies involving Ben Sulayem, particularly what critics of Ben Sulayem picture arsenic nan erosion of accountability wrong nan FIA and attraction of powerfulness successful nan president's hands.

In nan aftermath of Reid's resignation, nan former FIA main executive serviceman Natalie Robyn collapsed her soundlessness complete having near nan organisation aft conscionable 18 months successful nan domiciled past summer.

Robyn told BBC Sport she had "worked nether challenging circumstances to fortify nan federation's governance model and upgrade its operational transparency".

She said Reid's departure "clearly indicates location are superior ongoing structural challenges", adding: "When master processes are not adhered to and stakeholders are excluded from decision-making, it undermines nan instauration of a beardown organisation."

Ben Sulayem said of Wilson successful an FIA statement: "Malcolm has had a distinguished profession successful world motorsport.

"For complete 40 years he has competed astatine nan highest level some arsenic a driver and method partner to teams.

"This acquisition will beryllium invaluable to nan FIA and our personnel clubs arsenic we proceed to turn grassroots and master motorsport, driving invention successful nan athletics to use fans, drivers and teams."

Wilson was quoted successful a connection saying that it was a "great honour" to beryllium nominated for nan role.

Wilson added: "I very overmuch look guardant to supporting nan president and each nan FIA family in its important mission.

"There has ne'er been a much breathtaking clip to beryllium successful motorsport and I know first-hand the benefits nan athletics brings to families and communities crossed nan world.

"I look guardant to working with nan president for nan long of his existent word of office, bringing our athletics to new audiences and ensuring we deliver the very champion championships for each our competitors."

Ben Sulayem's first word arsenic president expires successful December. No-one has yet travel guardant to reason nan Emirati.