Sulayem: I am proud of the achievements we have realised over last four years

Dubai: FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem expressed pride in the organisation’s progress over the past four years. “I am proud of the achievements we have realised over the last four years, and my focus remains on ensuring the FIA continues its transformation into an organisation that delivers meaningful value to society,” Ben Sulayem said as he welcomed nearly 500 senior FIA delegates from the motorsport and mobility sectors, representing 149 countries, to the FIA Annual General Assemblies in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, ahead of Friday’s 2025 FIA Presidential Election and the FIA Awards.

“Around the world, we are working to broaden participation in motorsport through grassroots initiatives and inclusive programmes such as the Affordable Cross Car project and the Global Karting Plan. At the same time, we are strengthening our mobility mission globally, reinforcing our position within the automotive ecosystem, and leading discussions on sustainable cities, safer roads, and the future of transportation,” he added.

Ben Sulayem, Founder of UAOA, also met with Adkham Ilkhamovich Ikramov, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Sports, to sign the UAOA Charter. This move officially welcomed Uzbekistan into a growing international alliance of clubs, federations, governments, technology partners, and academic institutions working together to combat online abuse in sport.

Online abuse is now recognised as one of the most significant challenges facing global sport, threatening performance, well-being, and participation, and impacting athletes, officials, volunteers and fans at every level.

With its strong sporting heritage and growing influence in modern sport, Uzbekistan has committed to promoting safer digital environments to protect its athletes and understands the importance of a unified global response.

Ben Sulayem noted: “Sport is one of the greatest forces for good in society, and we must safeguard its future. Together, with a coalition of more than 75 partners worldwide, we are driving lasting change by combating online abuse and protecting our global sporting community.”

Minister Ikramov added: “Sport should be a source of pride, unity and inspiration — not fear or intimidation. We are proud to support this global coalition, which is protecting our athletes, officials, and fans, and leading international efforts to create a safer digital landscape for sport.”

The FIA’s UAOA initiative has grown rapidly in recent months and was recently honoured with Peace and Sport’s prestigious Coalition for Peace Award, recognising its global leadership in building a powerful campaign for meaningful change.