and a member of the World Motor Sport Council. The FIA is the global sporting authority for motorsport and represents 100 million car owners in almost 200 countries. The World Motor Sport Council meets at least four times a year to decide on rules, regulations, safety and development of motor sport at every level, from karting to Formula One. Headed by the FIA President, its membership is chosen by the FIA General Assembly, which contains representatives from national automobile clubs throughout the world. In his FIA role, Sulayem has pioneered teaching, research and knowledge transfer initiatives in the UAE and elsewhere throughout the world. In June 2013 he was named as chairman of the FIA's Motor Sport Development Task Force, with the responsibility to devise a strategic plan to develop and grow motorsport in a sustainable manner over the next ten years. It will be the first such plan in the 109-year history of the FIA, and Sulayem immediately started a consultation process with motor sport stakeholders, including manufacturers, the media, promoters, fans and FIA member clubs around the world. He will brief the World Motorsport Council on progress at its September meeting in Croatia, when the other members of the task force will be nominated. He will present the ten-year plan to the FIA General Assembly for approval at the end of 2014. Sulayem is a founding member of the Arab Council of Touring and Automobile Clubs, which aims to unite the FIA Clubs of Arabic-speaking territories. In December 2021, Sulayem was elected president of the FIA, succeeding Jean Todt. In January 2023, Sulayem was embroiled in a sexism scandal after The Times newspaper resurfaced comments he made on his now archived website in 2001. The newspaper quoted Sulayem as saying he did not like "women who think they are smarter than men, for they are not in truth". The veracity of the quotes was not refuted by Sulayem, but the FIA defended him saying "the remarks in this archived website from 2001 do not reflect the president's beliefs". References External links Mohammed Ben Sulayem Ben Sulayem Performance 1961 births Living people Emirati rally drivers Sportspeople from Dubai Middle East Rally Championship Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile presidents