By Micheal J. Lane
PARIS, France (July 26, 2007) – The FIA World Motor Sport Council ruled Thursday that McLaren was in breach of the International Sporting Code for possessing confidential documents belonging to Ferrari, but didn't punish the British team, a move that angered its Italian rivals.
The FIA's decision came after a six-hour hearing in which McLaren was cleared of “fraudulent conduct” and using information from a 780-page dossier belonging to Ferrari to the detriment of the sport. The FIA Council opted not to issue a penalty since it could find no evidence that McLaren used the data that was found in Mike Coughlan's possession. Coughlan was McLaren's chief designer who has been suspended. However, FIA officials warned McLaren that if any of the information was used in the future by the British team that it could be called back and banned from this year's championship, as well as 2008.
In a statement issued after Thursday’s hearing, Ferrari officials said, “The decision of the World Council signifies that possession, knowledge at the very highest level and use of highly confidential information acquired in an illicit manner and the acquiring of confidential information over the course of several months, represent violations that do not carry any punishment.
“The fact that Vodafone McLaren Mercedes was in possession of such information was discovered totally by accident and, but for this, the team would continue to have it. This is all the more serious as it has occurred in a sport like Formula One in which small details make all the difference. Ferrari feels this is highly prejudicial to the credibility of the sport.”
Nigel Stepney, the former head of performance development for Ferrari, and Coughlan were both called before the World Council to answer allegations about their part in the affair. The 780-page dossier was found when High Court officials searched Coughlan's home.
Stepney is also involved in a criminal investigation in Italy regarding an allegation of sabotage of Ferrari's Formula 1 cars prior to the Monaco Grand Prix earlier this year. Stepney has denied the allegations.
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