Graham Stoker

Graham Stoker has a lifelong passion for motor sport, graduating from the Ian Taylor Racing School at Thruxton Circuit in the UK, and the Winfield Elf Motor Racing School at Magny-Cours Circuit in France, when he became active in historic and sports car club motor sport and assisting in Teams during the days of Group C, before joining the UK ASN as a volunteer.

Joining the judicial panel of the Royal Automobile Club Motor Sports Association (MSA) in 1985 he persued a long career in sports governance at his National ASN going on to become joint President of his ASN in 2001 when became Chairman of the Motor Sports Council, member of the Board of the MSA and Chairman of the MSA’s pivotal Executive Committee. As joint President of his ASN he was at the centre of motor sport policy in the UK, driving forward issues such as race and rally driver development, encouraging grass roots motor sport and club development, securing viable and sustainable championships, encouraging volunteers and grappling with sport governmental and environmental challenges. He regularly deals with Her Majesty’s Government, Secretaries of State and Ministers on the issue of motor sport.

As Chairman of the MSA Motor Sport Council, the seat of the sporting power, from 2001 to 2009 he lead a body of 25 notable motor sport experts, supported by over 200 individual members of Panels and Committees, representing the 750 member clubs of the MSA, presided over by HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO. Graham Stoker remains an Honorary Member of the MSA Council and the Titular World Council Member for the United Kingdom.

He is also a long standing member of the Royal Automobile Club and a former member of the Policy Committee of the RAC Foundation where he was involved in Mobility, Transportation and Automobile Policy in the UK.

At the FIA he joined the FIA International Court of Appeal in 2001 hearing a range of motor sport cases, and acting as a President of the Court, and took a leading role in the restructuring of the rules of the Court in 2004. In that year in Rome he was elected to the FIA World Motor Sport Council as the Titular Member for the United Kingdom. He has produced a number of significant reports on motor sport issues for the FIA, such as the reports to World Council on the British Grand Prix in 2001 and the use of Police Enforcement Cameras at the Wales Rally GB in 2004. He has been an active Steward in motor sport since 1985, becoming the first Chairman of the Permanent Stewards to the British Touring Car Championship from 1995 to 2001. As an FIA Steward and Super Licence Holder he has stewarded Formula One, WTCC, GT and Rally events and has regularly attended a wide range of national and international events around the globe including even travelling to the deserts of Mauritania in 2004 to visit the Paris - Dakar as part of his broad interest in all aspects of motor sport.

He is a recognised legal expert in Sports Law having been a long standing member of the UK Sports Dispute Resolutions Panel. He has settled numerous disputes in sport including selection for ‘Team England’ at the Commonwealth Games in 2001, football, skiing, athletics, judo, badminton, swimming and motorcycling. He is experienced in anti-doping and is a former President of the FIA Anti Doping Commission, and is well versed on the broader issues of sport governance and regulations within the European Union and worldwide.

As Deputy President for Sport he as the heart of major decisions at the FIA, assists the President in chairing the World Motor Sport Council, and is a member of the Senate and a Trustee of the FIA Foundation.

He was educated at the London School of Economics and the London Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. Called to the English Bar, he is a Winston Churchill Prize holder, a member of the Middle Temple and Lincoln’s Inn, and a leading Barrister in the areas of Sport Law, International, Governmental, Environmental and Commercial Law, and has appeared at the House of Commons before Select Committees, and is a member of the Parliamentary Bar.

He also has a long standing interest in International affairs. He has a Masters degree in International Law and Politics from the London School of Economics, served the Lord Chancellors Department as an Immigration Judge dealing with Political Asylum cases, and is a member of the prestigious Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) in London.

Graham Stoker is married with two sons and two daughters and lives in London and in West Wales near the famous Brechfa stages of the Rally of Great Britain.