If Sebastian Vettel has his way, top-class sport urgently needs a moral code – and independent controls to ensure compliance. The World Cup in Qatar is absurd for the Formula 1 driver, who predicts a difficult future for his racing series.
Sebastian Vettel thinks hosting the World Cup in Qatar is wrong given the homophobic statements made by a Qatari World Cup ambassador. “If statements like those made by the World Cup ambassador, then we should simply not go to Qatar! The saying was more than backward-looking. The sport, the whole association should say: This is not the right place to do sports there “, said the four-time Formula 1 world champion of the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” in an interview before the last Grand Prix of his career on Sunday in Abu Dhabi.
Khalid Salman, who is one of the official ambassadors of the World Cup tournament that begins in Qatar on Sunday, said in a ZDF documentary that being gay is forbidden because it is mentally harmful. “That’s not possible! That’s outrageous!” Vettel said. Salman later described his homophobic statements as “taken out of context”.
Vettel demanded that the sport should give itself a binding moral code. “There it is then precisely determined what the basic political requirements must look like so that sport can take place in a country. Certain things and certain countries are simply no longer possible. Too much is too much,” said the 35-year-old. “And then we as Formula 1 or FIFA just say no. And don’t just nod politely and take the money or use other advantages that the country might offer.”
According to Vettel, the World Football Association or Formula 1 “must consistently demand the implementation of those demands that they formulate in flowery words”, regardless of economic factors. At the moment, however, it is “unfortunately still the case that you get away with it as an organizer if you take a few nice photos alongside.”
Vettel suggested that associations should be controlled by external bodies, for example when it comes to the implementation of human rights issues. “Formula 1 has set the goal of being climate-neutral by 2030. That’s all well and good. But why not have it checked by an independent and critical authority on the way there? And then with the consequences and possible penalties, whatever they are then look like to live?” said Vettel. “What happens if Formula 1 takes a wrong turn on the way to climate neutrality and doesn’t meet its own demands? Or FIFA on the way to more equality and diversity? Unfortunately, at the moment it’s like this: Formula 1 controls Formula 1, and FIFA controls FIFA.”
Furthermore, the Aston Martin driver warned the motorsport premier class before his last race in Abu Dhabi (Sunday, 2 p.m. / Sky and in the live ticker on ntv.de) despite the global boom of a creeping loss of importance. “The way we deal with the resources, we are not a role model, we have to be much more economical. If that is not the case soon, the question will very quickly arise worldwide as to whether Formula 1 is still viable,” said the 35th driver -Year-old: “And then the interest should decrease everywhere, as has already happened in Germany.”
In view of the climate crisis, however, every sport will have to increasingly “justify itself for the way in which it is held,” believes Vettel: “Every major event has to reinvent itself and see how it can leave a smaller footprint.”
