Motorsport: Long-running saga may have finally reached a conclusion

John Naylor, who appealed the decision of the Court of Inquiry into complaints received against him when he was Chair of the Stewards at the 2025 Rally of the Lakes. Following the Court of Appeal, he was given a verbal reprimand. Pic: Michael Chester.

It appears that one of the longest running and unprecedented sagas in Irish motorsport involving its officials has come to an end, or has it?

On December 6 last year, a Court of Inquiry, established by the president of Motorsport Ireland Aiden Harper, into complaints received against John Naylor (chair of the stewards) including events which took place at the 2025 Rally of the Lakes lasted some eight hours.

The Terms of Reference (dated September 10, 2025) were to investigate the circumstances which led to John Naylor leaving the event; to inquire into possible breaches by Mr Naylor and to make such order as appropriate in all the circumstances, including the imposition of penalties in accordance with General Competition Rules (GCR’s). The outcome of the inquiry was published on the Motorsport Ireland website on January 15 this year.

In an unexpected twist, it seems the alleged use of a four letter expletive by Mr Naylor towards a club steward (Ciara Griffin) during the 2024 Rally of the Lakes played a strong role during the inquiry rather than Mr Naylor’s reason for leaving Killarney prior to the start of the 2025 Rally of the Lakes.

The CoA acknowledged there is a build-up of tension around any event and the 2024 Rally of the Lakes was no exception. According to the report, Mr Naylor did not dispute that he said the words (“f*** off, the rules are the rules”) but he did dispute that their use amounted to intemperate language. He also denied that “there was any breach of GCRs in relation to his departure from the 2025 event when he stepped down as Steward of the Rally of the Lakes in accordance with GCR 128.1 and was perfectly entitled to do that to protect himself. He was of the view that leaving the event, was the best option for all concerned.”

The court agreed there was no breach of GCR 128.2 as the respondent was not a steward at the point whereby, he would be required to remain at the event for the time periods applicable relating to protests or appeals.

The court decided unanimously that Mr Naylor apologise in writing to Ms Griffin and provide an undertaking to not use such intemperate language whilst carrying out his duties as a senior licenced official or council member of the Motor Sport Council. Mr Naylor (who is also the vice-president of Motorsport Ireland) as was his right, subsequently appealed that decision.

Understandably, that process took time as a new panel had to be created.

Mr Naylor’s grounds of appeal were that the Motorsport Ireland Court of Inquiry ought not have considered matters pertaining to the 2024 Rally of the Lakes as the ‘Terms of Reference’ referred to the 2025 Rally of the Lakes. Furthermore, that the Motorsport Ireland Court of Inquiry had gone beyond its sanctioning powers by directing him to write an apology to Ms Griffin and to give the undertakings as outlined in their decision.

The Court of Appeal decision stated, “Based on the facts considered, the Motorsport Ireland National Court of Appeal (CoA) dismissed the appeal with regard to the decision that Mr Naylor was in breach of Article 139.7 within Chapter 10 of the GCR for using intemperate language towards Ms Griffin. While the Court of Appeal admitted the appeal in relation to the directions to give a written apology, it (CoA) exercised its powers to mitigate the sanction of a written reprimand to a verbal reprimand pursuant to “Chapter 10 Article 142.2.1 of the GCR.”

Interestingly, the CoA found the Motorsport Ireland Court of Inquiry could consider the allegations against Mr Naylor which took place during the 2024 rally and that Mr Naylor acknowledged that he was fully on notice of the nature and substance of the complaint made against him with regard to Ms Griffin. The CoA has recommended that alleged or charged breaches of the GCR’s are clearly delineated.

The CoA report quotes: “Chapter 10 Article 142.2.1. of the General Competition Rules on a number of occasions, yet, there is no such article in the GCR’s - verbal reprimands are covered under Article 142.1.1 - somewhat ironic given that and excluding the expletive, the comment was “rules are rules.”

It’s a concerning time in Irish motorsport when the use of inappropriate language by officials at any level to fellow officials is tolerated, surely, its unacceptable - in any context.