FEI celebrated in Creative Sports Awards

The winners of the prestigious Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Awards have been honoured in Dubai (UAE).

HE Sheikh Khalid Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa (BRN), FEI 2^nd Vice President, member of the FEI Executive Board and President of FEI Regional Group VII, was awarded the Arab Administrator Award - Kingdom of Bahrain.

HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, FEI Honorary President and Goodwill Ambassador, was also honoured, taking the Local Sports Figure award in recognition of her outstanding work as FEI President during 2006 to 2014, and for establishing the FEI’s global sport development programme, FEI Solidarity.

FEI Solidarity, launched in 2011 and inspired by the Olympic Solidarity model, is focused on providing opportunities for the next generation of athletes and all those working in equestrian communities around the world, so that local structures can be established to develop the sport.

The FEI was not the only International Federation to be recognised at the awards ceremony. The International Judo Federation, also with a base in the Olympic capital of Lausanne, was presented with the International Organisation Award for its efforts in bringing judo and its values to children in Syrian refugee camps.

“For the FEI, it is particularly gratifying to see FEI Solidarity recognised in the award to our Honorary President Princess Haya, and to see our 2nd Vice President Sheikh Khalid honoured. It is good to see their services and commitment to equestrian sport getting this recognition”, said Ingmar De Vos, FEI President and FEI Solidarity Chair. “Speaking on behalf of the international equestrian community, I would like to congratulate all the athletes, teams and sports institutions who put their hearts and souls into winning these awards. Sport is an essential part of our global society. The creativity we see in the sports industry is very exciting, with clear benefits to the communities we all live in and are looking to develop for future generations.”

A total of 180 entries were received for this seventh edition of the annual Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Awards, part of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Global Initiatives focusing on humanitarian, social and developmental strategies.

Notes to Editors

About Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) www.fei.org

The FEI is the world governing body for horse sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was founded in 1921. Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic movement since the 1912 Games in Stockholm.

The FEI is the sole controlling authority for all international events in the Olympic sports of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, as well as Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining.

The FEI became one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its seven able-bodied disciplines when Para-Equestrian Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI now governs all international competitions for Para-Equestrian Dressage and Para-Driving.