In a letter to members of various FIA constituent bodies, president Max Mosley apologized for the embarrassment caused to the organization by the tabloid report of his erstwhile private exploits. In the same letter, however, Mosley pledged to fight the allegations and remain in his position despite mounting calls for his resignation.
Mosley dismissed the claim that his now-infamous sexual activities had any Nazi connections and pointed to a "covert" operation to discredit him undertaken by persons as yet unidentified through a private investigation firm. The big question is in whose interest would it have been to embarrass Mosley in such a public manner, and the list is long as the FIA president remains a highly controversial character. Follow the link to read more of Mosley's letter to the presidents of the national motorsport clubs, members of the FIA Senate, the World Motor Sport Council and the World Council for Mobility and the Automobile.
[Source: Autosport, Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Todd @ Apr 1st 2008 4:10PM
In related news, Mr. Mosley has retained former President Bill Clinton as his legal council. When asked outside his Manhattan apartment what the likelihood of seeing Mosley resign before this weekend's race is, Mr. Clinton responded:
"Depends on what your meaning of the word 'is' is."
dan spalinger @ Apr 1st 2008 4:17PM
He's gotta go...bottom line...no one with that in his personal/public life should be running a major sporting organization...
DIRETTORE @ Apr 1st 2008 5:05PM
* DAN - With what? Personal/Public life are NOT the same.
Are you perfect Saint Dan?
What he does in his personal time with his personal life is his business.
In no way does it have anything to do with his ability to perform.
{and at that age, I hope I can perform for 5 hours ;}
Hugh Grant seemed to fully recover & if anything, all the publicity may have even helped him out.
Dan Spalinger @ Apr 1st 2008 4:40PM
He is a public figure...EVERYTHING he does whether it be in private or not affects his organization....What if the President of the U.S. wandered around the White House dressed up like Hilter doing lines of blow off of transexual hookers backs??? I suppose thats his private life right?? Uh-uh...You are put in a position of authority and are EXPECTED to hold yourself to a higher standard...comes with the territory...If you don't like it then don't put yourself in that position to begin with...
Mosely insulted the Jews and women and DID break the law...If he cannot exhibit sound moral judgement in his private life, why should multi-national corporations investing billions of dollars into a sport trust him to act in a manner that benefits their investment?
DIRETTORE @ Apr 1st 2008 5:25PM
* DAN - I believe you may be mistaken.
Can you please provide the article number of the law you claim he broke?
Waiting your reply. Thank you.
R @ Apr 1st 2008 6:29PM
Sorry Dan, direttore's right. What will happen instead would be to follow tactics from the standard political playbook. Your fictional president would be pressed into a public admission under oath. Any denial about his personal life could be construed as a lie, and then from there, your president would be ensnared. But not for the original act. Which is personal.
GeoTracker @ Apr 1st 2008 7:45PM
Psst... prostitution is legal in a lot of European countries...
TwinTurbo3000GT @ Apr 1st 2008 9:53PM
prostitution is legal in most places. Everyone loves prostitutes!
Hell, clinton was allowed to remain president, and he really DID break laws! (lying under oath, adultery, etc.)
I see no reason why Mosley should resign.
RobZ4 @ Apr 1st 2008 4:22PM
Max Mosley main mistake was not checking the room for video cameras before starting the fun and getting caught in the act.
Anyways if he gest fired he can always have a bright future in the porno industry. His nickname could be Mad Max .
PauloBecker @ Apr 1st 2008 5:13PM
Giggity giggity!
Xcountryflyer @ Apr 1st 2008 4:27PM
Desperation breeds more desperation. Bye bye Max. Your days are numbered.
Cameron @ Apr 1st 2008 4:35PM
I still say that it is a little more than ironic that this should come to light only weeks after Bernie said F1 needs more sex scandals...
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/20022008/23/bernie-enough-sex-scandals-f1-anymore.html
Toy Yoda @ Apr 1st 2008 4:36PM
I thought Europe was a more lenient on sex "scandals".
VP @ Apr 1st 2008 4:45PM
@DIRE,
He is a public figure. That's why they are held to higher standards than John Doe. That's why they get compensated better than John Doe. It's all part of the package. Part of their job descriptions include representing their companies in a professional & positive manner. He has done neither for the FIA. If you think their public and private lives are seperate, you are kidding yourself.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Apr 1st 2008 5:08PM
Way to take responsibility for your actions there, Max.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Apr 1st 2008 5:09PM
Just because you get into enough trouble that you can't even do your job by being at a race in Bahrain you're being paid to oversee, don't sweat it. Hang on to your position at all costs.
Tolly @ Apr 1st 2008 6:09PM
So he hires a hooker, whom I would assume is a concenting adult of legal age also, to have weird fantasy sex and now he's not fit to do his job? How long has he been with the FIA and been doing a good job? Do you all think that this was his first time doing this? He shouldn't resign, when asked about it he should simply state that it's none of their buisness how or what he does when he has sex. Anyone ever think that maybe he and his wife had an agreement? If you want to wrap seran wrap around your face, spread peanut butter on your asshole and have a donkey lick it off while you jack off into a grape fruit, as long as you're not involving kids, more power to you.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Apr 1st 2008 6:29PM
How long as Mosley been doing a good job? Hmm. That's a trick question.
Mosley has been told not to attend the next F1 race in Bahrain. What he has done is affecting his ability to do his job.
Marcus @ Apr 2nd 2008 10:59PM
You have TOTALLY lost the plot on this one - Of course it matters how he behaves, he controls an industry that is worth more than all North American sports INCLUSIVELY - including NASCAR/baseball/football et al - and has a position that influences people - in a HUGE way-and kids - lots of 'em! Don't forget that Max (and his alter-ego Bernie) is the motivator behind this strange (and destructive) determination to hold all GPs of GMT at night! If you personally want to do the peanut butter thang, well that's you choice - because you are just a peon! Butter up pal!
Disgruntled Goat @ Apr 1st 2008 6:15PM
Sheesh, what is that guy, like 80 or something? Shouldn't he be at that age where you're more concerned with golf and building birdhouses than you are with whipping prostitutes?