President of the Barbados Motoring Federation (BMF) Senator Andrew Mallalieu and Treasurer Jeanne Crawford attended last week’s (June 20-22) Annual Conference of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) held in the Andalucia region of Spain.
According to a release from the Barbados Motor Racing Federation, the world governing body is committed to bringing enhanced value to FIA Clubs, also empower the regions, and increasing motorsport participation.
Decisions were made to benefit the sport in Barbados and the wider Caribbean.
Also, present at the Conference in the Palacio de Congresos in Cordoba were Mahendra Boodhoo, President of the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC), and Ibraheem Khan, a Steward with the Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club (JMMC), the respective ASNs of nearby regional territories.
The Conference was attended by 455 Delegates from 177 Member Organisations in 125 countries, either in person or via video link.
All aspects of the FIA’s work were covered during the week, which started with an official visit from His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain, who met members from Sport and Mobility councils.
The World Council Automobile Mobility and Tourism (WCAMT) met on Monday (June 19) to discuss achievements and future developments in FIA Mobility.
On Tuesday, which marked the 119th anniversary of the FIA, the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC), of which Mallalieu is a member, was hosted by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem and Deputy President for Sport Robert Reid.
In addition to Conference sessions, Delegates also engaged in many more practical activities: in the Bridgestone FIA ecoRally Cup challenge, Boodhoo, and Khan were among those who tested their skills at the wheel of a Polestar car on a loop around Cordoba; the E-Karting Slalom Challenge offered an insight into this accessible form of motorsport.
In addition, with the focus on accessibility and participation, Motorsport in a Box – a complete toolkit that will support Clubs to engage in grassroots motorsport – was presented, with Delegates given a chance to have a go. (Barbados Motoring Federation)