\n<\/p>\n
Mariani was recruited over an eight-month period through 2023 and took on her role in December of that year.<\/p>\n
The FIA statement said that the decision to remove her role had been taken “following a period of review”.<\/p>\n
Villareal said that by “connecting more closely with our members on topics such as sustainable fuel, smart cities, and diversity in sport, we can achieve a bigger impact”.<\/p>\n
The statement did not explain how this would be achieved by moving sustainability under the umbrella of mobility. The FIA is split into two areas – mobility, which is to do with road transport, and motorsport.<\/p>\n
Malhame said in the statement: “The FIA is committed to advancing opportunities for women within the organisation, and across mobility and motorsport\u2026 and are proud that 32% of our workforce are women in a male-dominated industry.”<\/p>\n
A spokesperson added: “Of the almost 100 women working at the FIA, nearly half (47%) of those are in senior positions. <\/p>\n
“Examples include Emilia Abel, who runs global road sport, and Rebecca Lee, head of single-seater operations and the FIA’s first female official F1 starter.”<\/p>\n
Mariani is the second major FIA figure to leave this year, following the resignation of the deputy president for sport, Robert Reid, in April.<\/a> <\/p>\n And it marks the continuation of a trend under the presidency of Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who is running for re-election this year and is so far unopposed.<\/p>\n In the past year, Sulayem has sacked the FIA’s head of compliance Paolo Basarri<\/a>, the head of the audit committee Bertrand Badre and committee member Tom Purves<\/a>, the FIA’s chief executive officer Natalie Robyn<\/a>, F1 race director Niels Wittich<\/a>, senior F1 steward Tim Mayer and deputy Formula 2 race director Janette Tan.<\/a> <\/p>\n These departures come against the backdrop of a series of changes to the FIA statutes introduced by Sulayem, which critics say reduce accountability and good governance and enhance the president’s authority.<\/p>\n The latest changes, voted through at last week’s FIA General Assembly with a huge majority, were characterised by one opponent as being an example of a “dark period of democratic backsliding”.<\/a> <\/p>\n Sulayem has been the centre of a series of controversies since he was elected, including the emergence of misogynistic remarks on a historic website.<\/p>\n