FIA Silent Over Mosley Allegations

The sport's governing body, the FIA, refused to comment yesterday on the future of its president, Max Mosley, following sex allegations in a Sunday newspaper. "This is a matter between Mr Mosley and the newspaper concerned. The FIA has no comment," said a spokesman.

A source close to the governing body indicated that legal action against the News of the World, which published the allegations, was likely, though it would not elaborate on what form such legal steps would take.

The News of the World showed video stills of a man it identified as Mosley and alleged the figure in the pictures was pretending to be a Nazi concentration camp commandant punishing girls dressed as camp inmates.

"I find it difficult to believe," Bernie Ecclestone, the commercial rights holder for formula one, was quoted in the Daily Mail. "It's his business but it sounds to me like a set-up. Has he in any way damaged F1? No."

Mosley would be unlikely to relinquish the job voluntarily. The youngest son of the British fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley has occupied the role since 1991 when he defeated Jean-Marie Balestre, who died on Friday at the age of 86.