Artem Severiukhin: did Russian karting champion make Nazi Salute on a podium, apology - and what did FIA say?

Artem Severiukhin, a 15-year-old Russian karting champion, is under investigation after he appeared to make a Nazi salute at the European Championship in Portugal.

The racer had been competing under the Italian flag as a means to circumvent sporting sanctions against his homeland in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine.

What did he do?

After winning his first race of the season, in the OK category for drivers between 11 and 15, Severiukhin was on the podium when he appeared to make a Nazi salute.

The driver bumped his chest twice and then raised his right arm, palm open and facing down, in a gesture that looks similar to that of a Nazi salute before bursting into laughter.

Has he been fired from his team Ward Racing?

Severiukhin’s team, Ward Racing, has said that it “sees no possibility for continued cooperation with Artem Severiukhin and will proceed with terminating his racing contract”.

Posting on social media, the team announced: “The actions of Artem Severiukhin during the award ceremony on April 10, 2022 were exclusively individual and do not represent the views and values of Ward Racing in any manner.

“On the contrary, Ward Racing stands with the international community condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and expresses its solidarity with the people suffering because of this unprovoked and horrific attack.”

In the official statement, the team added: “Ward Racing accordingly condemns the personal actions of pilot Artem Severiukhin during the award ceremony on April 10, 2022 in the strongest possible terms, as it considers them a manifestation of unsportsmanlike behaviour, an unacceptable violation of the ethical and moral sports codex.”

It ended the statement with an apology to those “who were hurt or distressed by the occurrence” and added that “it has long been and will remain a priority for Ward Racing to work for a more diverse, inclusive, and respectful racing climate”.

What did FIA say?

FIA, which stands for the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, put out a statement regarding Severiukhin.

It said: “The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile confirms that it has launched an immediate investigation into the unacceptable conduct of Mr Artem Severiukhin that occurred during the podium ceremony for the OK category at Round 1 of the 2022 FIA Karting European Championship at the Kartódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal.

“The FIA will communicate shortly on the further steps that will be taken in this case.”

The Russian Automobile Federation has also said that it is looking into the matter and is “clarifying the circumstances of the incident”.

The organisation said: “The Russian Automobile Federation is clarifying the circumstances of the incident and the athlete’s act, and is also analysing the comments of the parties in connection with this.

“The Russian Automobile Federation informs that Artem Severiukhin was released from the RAF and competed in the European Championship under an Italian licence, which is why Artem has the Italian flag on the protocol and the Italian anthem sounded on the podium.

“We also report that we consider it unacceptable any, even an accidental, manifestation of fascism and Nazism in Russian motorsport and among Russian athletes.”

What has Artem Severiukhin said?

Severiukhin on Monday posted a video message on the Russian Automobile Federation’s Telegram channel in which he said, in quotes translated via Championat.ru: “I would like to apologise for what happened yesterday at the European Karting Championship.

“Standing on the podium, I depicted a gesture that many perceived as a Nazi greeting. But that’s not true – I have never supported Nazism and consider it one of the most terrible crimes against humanity.”

Explaining his chest-thump as a routine way of expressing gratitude, Severiukhin said: “I was performing under an Italian licence and won the race under the Italian flag.

“The guys in front of the podium were telling me that in Italy to show your gratitude in such cases, it’s a custom to hit oneself on the chest in the heart area.

“I just wanted to perform that gesture.”

He added: “I can’t explain how everything else happened.

“I know it’s my fault, I know I’m stupid, and I’m ready to be punished. But please understand that I did not support Nazism or fascism with this gesture.”

A Russian Automobile Federation spokesperson quoted Severiukhin as saying that he made the gesture when he was thanking his team, friends and his Russian relatives who were in the opposite podium.