"A Nazi salute on the podium of the junior European karting championships from the Russian Artyom Severyukhin, 15, who races under the Italian flag for the sanctions imposed on Russian drivers".
Nexta tv, the Belarusian opposition broadcaster that broadcasts from Poland, denounced this with a video posted on his Twitter profile.
In the short video of the award ceremony of the race in Portimao, Portugal, we see the young driver - who runs the Swedish Ward Racing team with an Italian license due to the sanctions imposed on Russian Federation drivers after the invasion of Ukraine - standing on the step higher than the podium, as he slaps his chest and then greets with his arm outstretched, then bursting into laughter. All to the tune of Mameli's hymn.
The images went around the world and the reactions immediately arrived. Starting with that of the driver's team - Ward Racing - who announced his dismissal.
"We are deeply ashamed for the behavior of our driver", reads a note from the team, which speaks of "personal actions" and the intention to "terminate his contract for the races, no longer considering it possible to continue the cooperation".
Even for the Automobile Club of Italy this is a deplorable behavior ". The ACI, expressing" firm condemnation "for the gesture, explains that" urgent measures "could be taken against Severyukhin", including the withdrawal of the Italian license.
(Unioneonline / lf)