Corberi was condemned by the motorsport group after a video of the 2020 world karting finals at Lonato went viral on social media, the place the 23-year-old was seen throwing a bumper at fellow karter Paolo Ippolito after being concerned in a collision with him the earlier lap.
In one other video that emerged later, Corberi gave the impression to be attacking Ippolito within the parc ferme, with the incident turning right into a full-on brawl.
Both the Italian authorities and the FIA launched an investigation into the matter, with the governing physique asserting a 15-year-ban on Corberi from competing in professional motorsport on the finish of April following a gathering of the International Tribunal.
The Tribunal mentioned it thought of a lifetime ban however deemed he must be given the prospect to ultimately make a return to motorsport upon serving an preliminary suspension.
Corberi’s defence had beforehand argued that because the Italian authorities had already taken motion towards him for the 2 incidents, the FIA was precluded from issuing additional sanctions on the identical grounds. They additionally argued that Corberi’s actions had been “in a state of anger, determined by the unjust fact of others” after a collision with Ippolito prompted him to retire from the race.
An instance of snowboarding was additionally given as reference, the place an athlete was banned for under a single occasion after being discovered assaulting one other competitor.
During the earlier listening to, the FIA Tribunal had rejected Corberi’s defence, saying that the FIA has unbiased jurisdiction on the case and the Italian authorities had been anyway but to take motion on his behaviour.
Full assertion
On 4 October 2020, on the South Garda Karting circuit in Lonato, within the framework of the 2020 FIA KZ Karting World Championship Final, the motive force Mr Luca Corberi was concerned within the following incidents:
(i) he threw the entrance fairing of his kart to the observe whereas different drivers had been nonetheless competing;
(ii) he bodily attacked one other driver.
On 1 February 2021, the President of the FIA determined to submit this case to the International Tribunal pursuant to Article 4.2 a) of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules.
On 19 April 2021, the International Tribunal, after having heard the events and examined their submissions, determined to:
– Confirm the disqualification of Mr Luca Corberi from the competitors of Lonato, Italy (2020 FIA Karting World Championship-KZ);
Impose to Mr Luca Corberi a suspension (Article 12.3.1.n of the FIA International Sporting Code (1) and a ban (Articles 5.2.2.b (2) and 5.2.2.d (3) of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules) for a interval of 15 years beginning on the date of coming into pressure of the choice of the International Tribunal.
(1) The Suspension deprives, for a specified interval of time, the individual topic to it of the appropriate to participate, instantly or not directly and in any capability by any means, in (i) any Competition organised or regulated by the FIA or the ASNs (or positioned underneath their authority), and (ii) any preparatory testing and coaching organised or regulated by the FIA or the ASNs (or positioned underneath their authority) or organised by their members or licence‐holders. (Article 12.4.1.n of the 2021 FIA International Sporting Code)
(2) Ban on collaborating or exercising a task, instantly or not directly, in competitions, occasions or championships organised instantly or not directly on behalf of or by the FIA, or topic to the rules and selections of the FIA
(3) Ban on exercising throughout the FIA any duties by any means as an govt officer, a member of a fee, or a president of a fee, or any duties of any nature by any means on behalf of the FIA and/or inside a physique of the FIA
On 23 April 2021, Mr Luca Corberi determined to attraction the choice of the International Tribunal.
Decision of the International Court of Appeal
The Court, after having heard the events and examined their submissions, determined:
Reject the attraction;
Uphold the choice of the International Tribunal (i.e. a suspension and a ban for a interval of 15 years).
