Motor racing-Former F1 supremo Ecclestone stopped in Portugal over shotgun on private jet
Former Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone was detained at a Portuguese airport after police discovered an undocumented shotgun in his luggage. Ecclestone stated the incident was a misunderstanding regarding the necessary paperwork for transporting the firearm for a clay pigeon shooting event.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the strict international regulations regarding the transport of firearms, even for high-profile individuals.
LISBON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Ex-Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone was stopped at an airport in Portugal on Monday after police found he had brought a shotgun into the country on his private jet without documentation.
The 95-year-old told Reuters in a telephone call from Portugal that he was carrying the gun with him from Switzerland for a clay pigeon shooting event but lacked a necessary 'blue book' to import it.
Ecclestone said he had landed with his wife Fabiana, who is a vice-president for sport at Formula One's governing body,at Tires airfield near the resort town of Cascais outside Lisbon.
"All that happened is that I took a gun that I've been using in Switzerland for clay pigeon shooting into the country to do some clay pigeon shooting in Portugal at a place where they had this weekend an exhibition thing going on," he explained.
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