Russian karter loses licence after Nazi salute

[PTRACER]

Whether or not he was really doing a Nazi salute is questionable but his team fired him and the FIA withdrew his license. Talks of further disciplinary action will come later.

https://www.motorsport.com/kart/news/ru ... e/9837571/

[MonteCristo]

I'm rather anti-Russia, but I don't think that was a Nazi salute.

That said, maybe people were heard egging him on or something, in which case they should be punished.

But if it is a Nazi salute ... why?

[SBan83]

At his age, people don't ask "why" before doing something. It's all fun and games till someone loses their license.

[Everso Biggyballies]

I'm rather anti-Russia, but I don't think that was a Nazi salute.

That said, maybe people were heard egging him on or something, in which case they should be punished.

But if it is a Nazi salute ... why?

To me it looks like a case of his (Russian?) mates who were in the crowd probably dared him to do it.... I agree it is a dubious sort of Nazi salute, a low key type of one, but the fact he does it and bursts into fits of laughter immediately says to me it was a disguised as a Nazi salute for a bit of a piss take. Probably a dare from his mates.
He was racing under an Italian flag as well, purely to get around the no Russians rule.

He 'looks' or has the demeanour of being a bit entitled but that is purely a subjective view on my side.

[MonteCristo]

I'm rather anti-Russia, but I don't think that was a Nazi salute.

That said, maybe people were heard egging him on or something, in which case they should be punished.

But if it is a Nazi salute ... why?

To me it looks like a case of his (Russian?) mates who were in the crowd probably dared him to do it.... I agree it is a dubious sort of Nazi salute, a low key type of one, but the fact he does it and bursts into fits of laughter immediately says to me it was a disguised as a Nazi salute for a bit of a piss take. Probably a dare from his mates.
He was racing under an Italian flag as well, purely to get around the no Russians rule.

He 'looks' or has the demeanour of being a bit entitled but that is purely a subjective view on my side.

I just can't imagine people yelling out, "Oi! Artem! Artem! Do--haha--do the Nazi salute! Yeah, do the Nazi salute! C'mon, Artem, mate! Go on, do the the salute!" It's a karting event - not F1 where there are thousands of people screaming and making noise.

And I can just as easily see his mates or his crew reacting to him in some way after he's acknowledging them with 'a salute' (the fact that he taps his chest a couple of times before raising his arm seems to show some level of thanks/acknowledgement), which is what makes him laugh.

Not saying it's 100% not a Nazi salute, but yeah.

[Microsprinter18]

Damn, what a fool. I guess we can rejoice in the fact that he's not a NASCAR driver, they'd just give him a vacation for a year and he'd come back and compete for a championship.

[Vassago]

First of all, formally it is a Roman salute. The event was held in Italy, he races under Italian license. Paolo Di Canio says hi!

Just because Hitler ripped off something from Mussolini (who in turn ripped off something from the Roman Empire) it doesn't mean it didn't happen. If you exclude the popular but inaccurate Nazi label then you can easily connect the dots and don't ask the wrong questions. Is someone really surprised that Roman salute is still performed in Italy? It's like asking why there's snow in the Antarctica.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_salute

[Manfred Cubenoggin]

A rather heavy-handed reaction to the lad. At worst, it could be described as an 'indiscretion'. Hardly worth termination and suspension, imo.

[julif]

Damn, well that's tough, but maybe like, don't do stupid decisions?

[PTRACER]

A rather heavy-handed reaction to the lad. At worst, it could be described as an 'indiscretion'. Hardly worth termination and suspension, imo.

I'm standing with one and a half feet in this camp at the moment. Unfortunately all eyes are on Russia now, there's very much an us-and-them situation developing. Western countries and organisations are going to react to anything that is, or could be perceived as, fascist/anti-West/pro-war/pro-Nazi from anyone of Russian nationality.

Shame for him though. Just a few seconds of poor thinking has probably changed his life.

[erwin greven]

A rather heavy-handed reaction to the lad. At worst, it could be described as an 'indiscretion'. Hardly worth termination and suspension, imo.

I'm standing with one and a half feet in this camp at the moment. Unfortunately all eyes are on Russia now, there's very much an us-and-them situation developing. Western countries and organisations are going to react to anything that is, or could be perceived as, fascist/anti-West/pro-war/pro-Nazi from anyone of Russian nationality.

Shame for him though. Just a few seconds of poor thinking has probably changed his life.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Well, whatever our thoughts on how heavy handed, misunderstood, deserved, stupid, incomprehensibly stupid and immature or whatever, we will know the official outcome shortly.....

The FIA has summoned Artem Severiukhin to a hearing tomorrow over his actions on the podium during the European Karting Championship in Portimao.

Severiukhin won the event on April 10th before performing what appeared to be a Nazi salute etc etc etc during the podium ceremony.
The following day the FIA announced it intended to investigate the incident.

Personally I am sort of now erring on the fack he is a dickhead, and needs to grow up and think a bit about the perceptions of others at times like this. I almost feel sorry for him for being so stupid. And he is only a kid. I did some stupid things when I was a kid. OK Not that stupid, but....

Anyway, today the governing body of motorsport confirmed it will hold a hearing tomorrow. Severiukhin has been summoned along with his former team, Ward Racing, who severed their ties with the driver immediately after the race.

In a tearful apology posted on social media, Severiukhin said that the incident had been a misunderstanding. “I want to apologise to everyone for what happened yesterday at the European Karting Championships,” he said.

“Standing on the podium I made a gesture that has been perceived as a Nazi salute. This is not true. I have never supported and consider it one of the worst crimes in humanity.

“I race under an Italian licence and race under an Italian flag and the guys in front of the podium showed me it in Italy and it is not a custom. I hit myself in the chest three times in the heart area showing gratitude. I just wanted to make the gesture but how everything has happened I cannot explain.

“I know that I’m a fool and ready to be punished, but please, believe there was no intention in my actions and no support for Nazism or facism. For all of those that watched in the broadcast, excuse me.”

Ward Racing said it “condemns the personal actions of pilot Artem Severiukhin during the award ceremony on April 10th, 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.”