FIA reshuffles Court of Appeal

On the same day that Williams signed up a new deal with Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA to remain in Formula One, with the proviso of 'undertakings' on the future governance of the sport, new appointments and revised procedures at the ICA have been confirmed.

With former judge Graham Stoker and his assistant standing down from the ICA following his election to the FIA's World Motor Sport Council, the FIA has appointed senior lawyers from both the United States and Britain to join an expanded ICA.

The new judges are John Cassidy and Stephen Braga from the United States and Anthony Scrivener and Edwin Glasgow from the United Kingdom. The appointment of these highly respected lawyers is significant in terms of proving the ICA's independence from the FIA.

The FIA has also announced that it will hold the first of what will be an annual Congress of the ICA at Monaco later this week. This move, part of a package of changes to the ICA agreed at the FIA General Assembly in Monaco, will allow for the Court's functions to be reviewed and possible changes to be made in the future.

"The adoption of the new Rules completes a major review and renewal of the proceedings of the ICA," said a statement issued by the FIA.

"In recent years the ICA hearings (for sporting cases) have been made open to the media, any barriers to challenging decisions of the ICA in the civil courts (where this is possible under national law) have been removed, the number of judges elected to the Court has been increased from 15 to 18, and the position of Secretary General has been made subject to election and, therefore, no longer part of the internal management of the FIA.

"With the new Rules now in place, the ICA procedures remain fully independent, transparent, fair, efficient, and an example of best practice in contemporary sports governance."

The independence of the ICA is believed to have been one of the major concerns of the manufacturers planning their breakaway championship.

In a statement issued by the Grand Prix Manufacturers' Association (GPMA) in May this year, it stated: "One of [our] objectives is to have a definitive interpretation of the applicable regulations through an independent, readily accessible and swift appeals process, administered by an internationally recognised body, in accordance with the practice of other major sports."

The FIA has long insisted, however, that its Court of Appeal is completely independent.