The World Rally Championship grid has united to demand a meeting with the FIA over their controversial ‘swearing ban’.The ban is the hottest topic in motorsport right now, with Formula 1 drivers all condemning its introduction at the F1 75 car launch in London.The swearing ban was a huge topic last season and at F1 75GettyLast season F1 world champion Max Verstappen received a £33,000 fine and a public service order for saying his car was ‘f*****’ during an official FIA press conference.During the off season, the FIA codified a ban on swearing, and rally star Adrien Fourmaux was the first to fall foul of it at the start of February at Rally Sweden.The Frenchman received a €30,000 [£24,000] fine, €20,000 [£16,000] of which was suspended for 12 months, for using the F-word during an interview, which is in breach of the new Appendix 12.2.1 of the FIA’s 2025 International Sporting Code.Now just over a week later, the World Rally Drivers Association (WoRDA) have released a statement asking for a meeting with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who has been the driving force behind the rule change.In a 430 word statement, the WoRDA says there has been ‘an alarming increase in the severity of sanctions imposed for minor, isolated and unintentional language lapses’, they add that it has ‘reached an unacceptable level’.Identifying three key points they state that: “Common colloquialism cannot be considered and judged as equal to genuine insult or act of aggression.“Non mother-tongue speakers may use or repeat terms without full awareness of their meaning and connotation.“Seconds after an extreme adrenaline spike, it is unrealistic to expect a perfect and systematic control over emotions.”The WoRDA also condemn the severity of the fines, as although WRC is one of the FIA’s biggest series, salaries are nothing like those in F1.“The exorbitant fines are vastly disproportionate to the average income and budget in rallying,” they wrote.Fourmaux was the first to get punished under the new rule, and there will undoubtedly be moreAFP“We are also concerned with the public impression these excessive sums create in the minds of the fans, suggesting this is an industry where money doesn’t matter.“This also raises a fundamental question: where does the money from these fines go? The lack of transparency only amplifies concerns and undermines confidence in the system.“Surely the negative impressions surrounding these penalties far outweigh the impact of any language lapse.”They finish by stating: “We call for a direct communication and engagement between the FIA president and WoRDA members to find a mutually agreeable and urgent solution.”F1 drivers are yet to release such a comprehensive statement, but the head of their drivers’ association, Mercedes’ George Russell, has regularly criticised the FIA and Ben Sulayem for a lack of transparency.Meanwhile, Verstappen attempted to stay out of controversy at F1 75, channelling his inner Jose Mourinho when asked about the rule’s ratification.The topic dominated F1 75 and now WRC have hit backGettyThe topic was also made fun of by presenter Jack Whitehall, while McLaren’s Lando Norris and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey both swore when asked about it.The FIA was also booed by the O2 crowd when a tribute was put out to their work towards better safety in the sport.At the time of his punishment last season, Verstappen refused to speak, but competitor Lewis Hamilton called it a ‘joke’ and said he hoped his rival wouldn’t serve his public service order.The FIA have since responded to the WoRDA statement, with a spokesperson telling DirtFish: “Like many international governing bodies or leagues and championships in other sports, we maintain a code of conduct that lays out what we expect of our athletes and their teams.“Drivers are looked up to as role models by young fans and are ambassadors for the wider world of motor sport, how they act at events matters.“The code’s purpose is then to promote the best in sportsmanship and respect, including expectations around language that can be seen as offensive or inappropriate by many, or acts that could be deemed detrimental to the sport.Ben Sulayem continues to be criticised in his role as FIA presidentGetty“These rules and penalties are in line with those taken by our peer organisations in other global sports and high-profile leagues and championships.“As with all rules, particularly those in high-stress and competitive environments, it is crucial to assess situations on a case-by-case basis. But, unnecessary obscenity and profanity are not condoned.”Asked specifically about the question of where money from the fines goes, they added: “The FIA is a non-profit organisation. The following areas are where its income – including fines – are reinvested:“In 2024, the FIA invested over €10.3million for grassroots activities globally. Last year, the FIA delivered 70 motorsport safety research projects with a budget of €3.8million.“There are more than 300,000 volunteers and officials under the direction of the FIA – and 2.7 million motorsport participants worldwide. “The FIA invested €1.3million, which included the development of a new department to streamline the training of those volunteers and officials last year.”