F1: FIA Issues Statement Following Complaint Against Christian Horner and Red Bull Investigation
The unnamed woman was suspended last week following an investigation by a senior independent attorney, whose identity isn't revealed, which cleared Horner.
By Divyam Dubey
Christian Horner, the boss of Red Bull's Formula 1 team, is the focus of an official complaint that the FIA is now looking into. An appeal is still on, even though the firm rejected the accusations against him. The matter is still unsolved, even though a thorough examination of Horner's contacts with a female colleague revealed no grounds for punishment. Rumour has it that the suspended female employee intends to contest the results of the inquiry that the Austrian energy drink manufacturer Red Bull conducted. Also, she has alerted the FIA to what might be a breach of the code of conduct for motor racing, which could lead to a more serious investigation.
Because the FIA saw it as an internal matter pertaining to employment, they were hesitant to step in before. The regulatory authority may, however, be forced to step in if signs of violations of regulations are detected. To guarantee fair treatment of all persons involved with the organisation, including workers, the FIA maintains an Anti-Harassment and Non-Discrimination Policy. Harassment includes any inappropriate behaviour that another person may fairly regard as offensive or humiliating, and a specific hotline has been set up for reporting abuse.
In a statement, the FIa reads: "At the FIA, enquiries and complaints are received and managed by the Compliance Officer, and the Ethics Committee where appropriate. Both the bodies operate autonomously, guaranteeing strict confidentiality throughout the process."
"As a consequence, and in general, we are unable to confirm the receipt of any specific complaint and it is unlikely that we will be able to provide further comment on the complaints that we may receive from the parties," the statement added.
F1: About the Controversy
In the midst of an inquiry-driven by unsubstantiated claims made by a female employee, Christian Horner was caught in the middle of a media frenzy as he fought for his job and reputation in the Grand Prix racing world. In spite of all the negative press, Horner continued to play an active role in RB20's reveal and preseason testing.
Red Bull GmbH, the parent company of Red Bull Racing, formally announced the investigation against Horner on February 5. Horner is functioning as both the team's principal and CEO. A female coworker had lodged claims of "inappropriate behaviour," which led to the launch of the inquiry. In response to the allegations, Red Bull GmbH committed to investigating them quickly, reiterating its firm resolve to treat such concerns seriously. In spite of the claims, Horner persisted in carrying out his responsibilities as the Milton Keynes-based team's principal and chief executive officer. Importantly, the complainant persisted with her professional duties all the while the inquiry was underway.
Even though an eight-week inquiry into Horner's attitude towards a female colleague came to the conclusion that no punishment was needed, the situation seems far from resolved.
