Key figures in Formula 1's governing body the FIA were barred from a meeting of the organisation's world motorsport council on Wednesday in a dispute with president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
Robert Reid, the FIA's deputy president for sport, and David Richards, the UK's representative, were among those denied access after refusing to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
The document forbids members from discussing matters pertinent to the FIA outside official meetings, BBC Sport has been told.
Insiders say Ben Sulayem demanded the new NDA, a stricter form of a document by which members were already bound, because of his concerns about leaks to the media.
Legal letters have been exchanged and the dispute has raised questions as to whether decisions made by the world council - including regarding rules for the forthcoming F1 season - will be legitimate.
The most high profile of these was the confirmed adoption of a mandatory minimum of two pit stops at the Monaco Grand Prix.
FIA statutes dictate members of the world motorsport council "may attend any meeting" and "have the right to vote".
Reid and Richards both refused to comment when approached by BBC Sport.
An FIA spokesperson said: "As is routine in all organisations, including the BBC, the FIA implements procedures including non-disclosure agreements to ensure confidential relationships between all parties, to safeguard personal information, and to protect our regulatory interests.
"Unauthorised disclosure of confidential information undermines our ability to fully fulfil our mission and adversely impacts our capabilities to generate revenues to support our member clubs in our shared objective of growing motorsport participation, increasing accessibility, and cultivating innovation.
"The steps we have taken to preserve confidentiality have been overwhelmingly supported by a super majority of WMSC members."
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