“I have nothing against competition,” said Todt who was silent
through virtually the entire election process. “On the contrary, it has
always been at the heart of my professional life. It is legitimate that it
is exercised in a democratic election such as that of the FIA. Competition
is a good thing because it forces you to give the best of yourself.
“For this reason, I welcome healthy debate. But debate should focus on
ideas, not on individuals. It should lift an organisation, not lower it; it
should strengthen an organisation, not weaken it. Above all, debate must be
based on truth, honesty, and integrity.
“I deeply regret that in the course of these last few weeks we have had
unfounded insinuations cast on the FIA’s governance, the transparency of its
accounts, and the integrity of its members. Worse, the Press was used
repeatedly to spread these false claims, where they only harm the image of
our FIA family. Faced with this irresponsible attack, we took a decision not
to engage in a public fight with the media which would have only been
destructive for our organisation.
“Instead we chose to address our clubs directly with the truth. We led a
campaign based on honesty and ideas and policies for the future. You fully
understood and supported this, and for that I thank you sincerely.”
Ward congratulated Todt in a public statement but asked the Frenchman to
strive for greater accountabiliy, transparency and democracy in his second
term.