David Ward has called for Jean Todt to be sanctioned if found to be guilty of breaching the regulations with regard to the forthcoming FIA presidential election.

Ward, running against current president Todt, fears the credibility of motor sport’s world governing body is at risk unless the laws are adhered to with regard to the election process.

A fortnight ago Ward filed a complaint to the FIA’s Ethics Committee regarding to what he felt were Todt’s attempts to distort the election process.

Ward claimed Todt was using FIA resources to attend meetings with member clubs during which they were asked to sign formal written commitments to support the Frenchman’s re-election bid in the form of ‘support agreements’.

Ward even posted a photograph on his campaign website that showed Todt holding up a letter of support following a meeting in Uruguay in March, long before the election process began.

That drew a stinging response from Jorge Tomasi, the FIA’s Region IV president that covers South America, who suggested Ward’s claim of impropriety was “offensive”.

In response, Ward insists “the use of support agreements in advance of the presidential election period is a serious breach of the FIA laws, which threatens to undermine the fairness and transparency of the 2013 presidential election”.

Ward also believes a further support letter was signed by some clubs attending an FIA regional meeting held in Bangkok on April 1 in which they offered “unswerving support” to Todt.

Ward believes Todt has breached not only the FIA’s Code of Ethics, but also the body’s statutes and internal regulations, and as such should be penalised.