Vatanen ends court threat after meeting

Tuesday, 20 October 2009 15:50

The FIA has announced that Ari Vatanen has withdrawn his legal action over Friday's FIA presidential election following a meeting with Max Mosley.

As the race between Vatanen and Jean Todt grew ever more bitter last week, Vatanen had asked the high court in Paris to step in and ensure that the election was fair and transparent.

But he has now backed down from this threat following a meeting today (Tuesday).

"Following today’s meeting to agree procedures for the upcoming FIA elections, Ari Vatanen has withdrawn his court application," said an FIA statement.

"At the meeting, chaired by FIA President Max Mosley, both candidates endorsed the fairness of the FIA’s proposed voting procedure."

The FIA also listed several measures that it had put in place to ensure a fair contest:

"The presidential elections will be supervised by a Huissier de Justice throughout the entire procedure.

"There will be a private voting area for marking ballot papers available for those voters who would like to use it.

"Each candidate, along with their speakers in support, will be given an opportunity to present their case to the General Assembly for a maximum of 15 minutes. Mr Todt and his team will take the floor first."

Vatanen had grown frustrated with current FIA figures - particularly outgoing president Mosley - openly backing Todt, and had suggested that some aspects of Todt's supporters' campaign was an inappropriate use of FIA time and resources.



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