![\"Jean-Todt-2\"](\"https:\/\/www.racinginfocus.com\/rif\/gallery\/f1-2012-rif-images\/f1-12-people\/Jean-Todt-2.jpg\")
Until now, the ultra-low-profile FIA president had been reluctant to speak on the issue, despite deciding that the sport should push ahead with this weekend’s race in the troubled island Kingdom.<\/p>\nJean Todt has broken his long and conspicuous silence over the Bahrain controversy.<\/p>\n
Until now, the ultra-low-profile FIA president had been reluctant to speak on the issue, despite deciding that the sport should push ahead with this weekend’s race in the troubled island Kingdom.<\/p>\n
So unremarkable was Frenchman Todt’s visit to Shanghai last weekend that most reporters believed he in fact left China on Saturday.<\/p>\n
He then appeared on Sunday’s grid, giving reluctantly short soundbites and congratulating his former Ferrari colleague Ross Brawn on Nico Rosberg’s win.<\/p>\n
Todt even finally commented on Bahrain.<\/p>\n
Asked why the event is going ahead despite the ongoing controversy, he told German RTL television: “It has a date on the calendar and was always planned.<\/p>\n
“There has been some controversy about it, but the FIA is a sports organisation.\u00a0 We are only interested in sport — not politics.<\/p>\n
“Our responsibility is that people can go there and have good and secure conditions.\u00a0 This will be the case,” Todt insisted.<\/p>\n
“We have spoken in this regard with representatives of the government, with the embassies and with neighbouring countries, as well as with European foreign ministries.<\/p>\n
“We have made an extension examination with a lot of checks.\u00a0 It is clear that the grand prix can go ahead.<\/p>\n
“At the moment, a major golf tournament is going ahead in Bahrain.\u00a0 On one hand, there are unpleasant political aspects as well, but it’s the same thing all over the world.<\/p>\n
“On the other hand, we are a sport.\u00a0 We are confident that the next grand prix will go ahead just as successfully as this one here in China,” he added.<\/p>\n
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