Turkey F1 organizers fined $5 million (Cypriot ‘state’ issue)

[The Sushi Bandit]

http://www.formula1.com/race/news/4975/764.html

<edit> you might think this is just a sports posting but it revels how divisive international politics can be!

19 September 2006

The National Sporting Authority of Turkey (TOSFED) and the organizers of the Turkish Grand Prix (MSO) have been fined a combined total of US$5 million by the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council.

TOSFED and MSO were charged with acting in breach of the FIA Statutes, the International Sporting Code and the 2006 Formula One Sporting Regulations following the podium ceremony at this year’s Turkish Grand Prix, in which Mr Mehmet Ali Talat was invited to present the winner’s trophy and introduced as president of the Turkish Cypriot ‘state’, which is only recognized by Turkey.

Following a special hearing on Tuesday, the FIA confirmed that the Council had found against TOSFED and MSO on all counts. The fine is believed to be the largest ever handed out by Formula One Racing’s governing body.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

1. And F1 fans all around breath a sign of relief

The last time someone used a F1 podium ceremony for making a political statement was in 1997, in Jerez, Spain. And it was a far less hot potato than this, just some local politico campaigning for an upcoming election.

Jerez was barred forever from hosting F1 events.

We all thought the same was going to happen with the Istambul track, which is perhaps the best of the whole calendar.

[The Sushi Bandit]

2. ...and thats no Istam-bull!

[The Sushi Bandit]

3. .