The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has today confirmed that the United Arab Emirates National Federation will remain suspended from FEI membership until 31 December 2020.

The CAS ruling comes after a two-day hearing via videoconference on 12 and 13 November following an appeal by the UAE against the suspension imposed by the FEI Board on 24 September 2020.

“We welcome today’s CAS decision confirming that a violation of the FEI rules occurred which warranted a full suspension of the UAE National Federation’s membership across all disciplines and significant financial penalties”, FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “We are grateful to the CAS for expediting the hearing of this appeal so that we are able to provide clarity to our community on the issue prior to the FEI General Assembly next Monday.”

Today’s CAS decision rules that the UAE National Federation “is suspended with respect to all FEI disciplines from 24 September 2020 until 31 December 2020”.

The FEI Board had imposed a suspension on the UAE National Federation following a detailed investigation into the circumstances around two National Endurance Events (CEN) in January and February 2020 - the Sheikh Mohammed Cup and The President's Cup – that should have been held as International Endurance Events (CEIs) as the number of foreign athletes far exceeded the quota permitted for National Events.

The CAS also ruled that 25% of the prize money awarded at the 2020 Sheikh Mohammed Cup and 5% of the prize money awarded at the 2020 President’s Cup must be paid to the FEI, plus organising dues that would have been payable to the FEI had the Events been held as CEIs.

At the request of the parties, and in order to fast track the ruling, the CAS provided today’s decision without the full rationale, which will be provided at a later date.

Notes to Editors:

The press release on the FEI Board decision of 24 September 2020 is available here.

If you had the chance to choose, who would be your favourites from the winners over the past decade of FEI Awards?

Well now you have that opportunity! In a year when our sport has been brought to a standstill by the pandemic, we are looking back through the years and giving YOU the chance to pick the best of the best from the five FEI Awards categories.

And the public vote for the special edition FEI Awards 2020 is now open!

This year the winners in each of the five categories will be chosen entirely by the public and votes can be cast on FEI.org from today until 22 November. Winners will be announced the second week of December.

There are 55 nominees representing 19 nations across the five Awards categories: Longines FEI Rising Star; Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete; Cavalor FEI Best Groom; FEI Against All Odds; and FEI Solidarity. The complete list of nominees can be found here.

“These Awards are a way to honour the heroes of our sport through their amazing stories of resilience, horsemanship, determination and passion,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said.

“Equestrian is not just a sport, but a way of life for many people and this has been a desperately difficult year for the equestrian community, just as it has been for everyone, in every sector. Now, more than ever, we need to focus on the positives that our sport has to offer and celebrate the fantastic ambassadors that we have, both on the field of play and behind the scenes making a difference.”

Since their launch in 2009, the FEI Awards have become a key addition to the annual equestrian calendar and have grown in size and stature over the last decade. The FEI Best Athlete and FEI Rising Star Award categories have featured a high calibre of nominees from around the world with numerous Olympic, Paralympic and FEI World Equestrian Games™ honours among them.

With nine awards in total, Germany has the most number of winners and also tops the leader board in the FEI Best Athlete category, with five wins in 11 years.

German athletes in different Olympic disciplines have won the FEI Best Athlete category three years in a row. 2019 winner Ingrid Klimke, one of the world’s most successful Eventing riders, was the third German female to win the FEI Best Athlete award, following in the footsteps of FEI World Equestrian Games™ Jumping champion Simone Blum in 2018 and six-time Dressage Olympic gold medallist Isabell Werth in 2017.

Germany has also been to the fore in the FEI Rising Star Award, with the Rothenberger family claiming it twice, with Sönke winning in 2016 and his sister Semmieke taking home the honours last year.

Alongside the recognition of individual sporting accomplishments, the FEI Best Groom award highlights the important work of grooms, often the unsung heroes of equestrian sport, and the British have dominated this category. There was a double celebration in 2016 when Olympic champion Nick Skelton and his long-time groom Mark Beever were crowned Best Athlete and Best Groom. Career groom Jackie Potts won in 2014 for her long collaboration with Eventing legend William Fox-Pitt while Alan Davies, head groom to Dressage superstars Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin, won the title in 2017.

The FEI Solidarity Award has raised the profile of a number of equestrian development projects, individuals and organisations that have benefitted the sport and communities in countries such as Haiti, South Africa, Singapore, Uruguay, Zambia and Great Britain.

At the 2018 FEI Awards Gala in Manama (BRN), the FEI Solidarity Award was given to The Horsemanship Movement, founded by Chinese Eventing star Alex Hua Tian and his friend Philip Wong. The programme aims to improve the lives of migrant children through building a positive partnership with horses, as well as to reposition equestrian sports as a value-led activity, rich with character education for children.

Following his win in 2018, Alex Hua Tian became the only individual to have secured two accolades at the FEI Awards having also won FEI Rising Star at the inaugural FEI Awards Gala in 2009 in Copenhagen (DEN). The FEI Rising Star recognition came on the back of his Olympic debut at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing at the age of 18, where he became China's first equestrian Olympian and the youngest ever Eventer in Olympic history.

Perhaps the most inspiring of all the categories is the FEI Against All Odds Award, which has brought equestrian stories of courage, hope and faith to the forefront. The Award, given to a person who has pursued his or her equestrian ambitions despite a physical handicap or extremely difficult personal circumstances, has been won by athletes from Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, Haiti, Palestine, Uruguay and the USA.

“This year, more than ever, I invite you all to show your support for the multiple nominees in the different categories,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “The equestrian community has been pushed to the limit this year but has come out stronger and this is our chance to unite and celebrate our community’s resilience in the face of adversity.”

The FEI has once again earned the IOC-Dow Carbon Action Award, which recognises the sustainability efforts of sports organisations within the Olympic Movement. Award recipients were announced during today’s IOC Sustainability Session at the annual IF Forum, which was held online for the first time this year.

Launched in 2019, the Awards programme was created to encourage sports organisations within the Olympic Movement to work towards reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.

In a 2020 initiative, this year’s application process was open to the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) numbering over 200 globally, as well as the 77 International Sports Federations (IFs).

To be recognised, IFs and NOCs had to be signatories to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework, which was launched by the IOC and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2018. Applicants were also required to present detailed data on their 2020 carbon footprint, as well as information on their carbon management and reduction plans. By extending this initiative to NOCs for this year’s Awards, members from a wider cross-section of the Olympic Movement were able to demonstrate their efforts to address climate change.

The other 14 International Federations that are recipients of the award are the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), International Ski Federation (FIS), International Biathalon Union (IBU), International Golf Federation (IGF), International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), International Skating Union (ISU), International Triathalon Union (ITU), International Cycling Union (UCI), World Archery, World Rowing, World Sailing, World Rugby as well as Recognised IFs the International Floorball Federation (IFF) and International Sambo Federation (FIAS).

The five National Olympic Committees of Brazil, Canada, Great Britain, Spain and Switzerland complete the list of 20 award winners for 2020.  

“We are extremely honoured to have received the IOC-Dow Award, together with other equally deserving NOCs and IFs, for the second time,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said. “The award puts a spotlight on the significant role that international sporting organisations like the FEI can play in driving global climate action and we are extremely pleased to see our efforts recognised by the Olympic Family.

“Sustainability is central to good governance and is a part of a solid business strategy in sport. The FEI plays a key role in motivating our stakeholders to focus on sustainability and the environment and it is only through our collective efforts that we can generate innovative green practices to reduce negative environmental impacts.”

The selected IFs and NOCs will receive carbon offsets, including a diverse set of climate solutions, from conserving ecosystems and avoiding deforestation to energy efficiency and renewable energy. The projects delivering these offsets were implemented across multiple continents including the Americas, Africa and Asia, and comply with standards approved by the International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA).

As the governing body for equestrian sport, the FEI equips event organisers with the necessary knowledge to simplify the decision-making process around sustainability and the environment.

In 2014, the FEI produced the FEI Sustainability Handbook, which has become the guiding text for sustainable initiatives. This is a living document that provides a framework for Organising Committees to develop green initiatives and to share best practice from organisers around the world.

Work is currently underway to update the Handbook to include an annex for self-evaluation that will allow each Event Organiser to measure and report on the impact of each of the environmentally friendly projects they implement during an event. Each initiative will earn the Organising Committee points that all count towards an overall sustainability score. This scoring system is a useful method to help Organisers quickly determine their most sustainable options.

The FEI also encourages knowledge exchange between event hosts and the wider equestrian sport community and the FEI’s support in this area has increasingly led to Organising Committees undertaking their own .

The FEI’s sustainability pillars includes initiatives at its Lausanne (SUI) Headquarters. As part of its Green Office Policy, the FEI has improved recycling practices by increasing waste separation, minimising single-use plastics and eliminating disposable cutlery and cups from day-to-day operations. The Federation had already introduced videoconference facilities to reduce travel. The pandemic has now provided further opportunity to review the necessity for travel and in-person meetings, and look at how to use those learnings to reduce the Federation’s carbon footprint going forward.

“The sustainability journey begins with small steps and this transformation happens from the inside,” Sabrina Ibanez said. “The goal is to focus on and be successful with the key initiatives selected, before moving on to the next stage of this perpetual process. As Olympic Family members, we have a real opportunity to lead by example and to show the world that sport can be an effective agent for long-lasting change.”

The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decision in an equine anti-doping case involving five different Prohibited Substances.

The horse Moro Tianko (FEI ID 104CS28 /KSA), ridden by Mohammed Alalewi (FEI ID 10112634)/KSA), tested positive for the Banned Substance Tolfenamic Acid, and the Controlled Medication Substances Lidocaine, Flunixin, Diclofenac, Phenylbutazone and its metabolite Oxyphenbutazone following samples taken at the CEI2* 120 - Al Ula (KSA) on 2 February 2019.

The athlete, who is also the trainer of the horse, was unable to give any explanation for the presence of the Prohibited Substances in the horse’s sample.

In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal disqualified the horse and athlete from the event, and imposed a three-year ineligibility period on the athlete. The Provisional Suspension of the athlete, which came into effect on 4 March 2019, is credited against the period of ineligibility imposed in the decision, meaning the athlete will be ineligible until 3 March 2022. He was also fined CHF 10,000 and asked to pay costs of CHF 2,000.

The full Decision is available here.

Notes to Editors:

FEI Equine Prohibited Substances

The FEI Prohibited Substances List is divided into two sections: Controlled Medication and *Banned Substances. Controlled Medication substances are those that are regularly used to treat horses, but which must have been cleared from the horse’s system by the time of competition. Banned (doping) Substances should never be found in the body of the horse and are prohibited at all times.

In the case of an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for a Banned Substance, the Person Responsible (PR) is automatically provisionally suspended from the date of notification (with the exception of certain cases involving a Prohibited Substance which is also a Specified Substance). The horse is provisionally suspended for two months.

Specified Substances

The FEI introduced the concept of Specified Substances in 2016. Specified Substances should not in any way be considered less important or less dangerous than other Prohibited Substances (i.e. whether Banned or Controlled). Rather, they are simply substances which are more likely to have been ingested by horses for a purpose other than the enhancement of sport performance, for example, through a contaminated food substance. Positive cases involving Specified Substances can be handled with a greater degree of flexibility within the structure of the FEI Regulations.

Information on all substances is available on the searchable FEI Equine Prohibited Substances Database.

 

 

Lee Kun-hee, Chairman of the Samsung Group from 1987–2008 and 2010–2020, passed away on 25 October 2020. He was 78.

Mr Lee became a well-known figure in equestrian sport with Samsung Electronics’ loyal support for Jumping through its sponsorship of the FEI Nations Cup™, which became known as the Samsung Super League between 2003 and 2008. This series saw the world’s eight best national teams battling it out at eight of the most prestigious equestrian venues.

Samsung was also a great supporter of the Olympic Movement, dating back to 1988 when the company became local sponsor of the Seoul Olympic Games and going on to become a Worldwide Olympic Partner and subsequently Top Partner with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), a partnership that is still in place today.

Born in January 1942, he was the third son of Samsung Group's founder Lee Byung-chull. Lee Kun-hee joined the then small family firm in 1968 as executive director and took the helm as Chairman in 1987, following his father’s death. Mr Lee was a true visionary, who pushed the company up the technological ladder, making Samsung a world-leading innovator and Samsung Electronics one of the world’s biggest tech firms.

Mr Lee was elected an IOC Member in 1996 and was made an Honorary Member in 2017. He occupied a number of distinguished positions in the Republic of Korea, including Vice-Chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries from 1987, Vice-Chairman of the Korea-Japan Economic Committee from 1981, member of the Korea-US Wisemen Council from 1991, Director of the Korean Youth Association (since 1982), and Vice-Chairman of the Korean Alumni Reunion of Waseda University from 1997.

Mr Lee suffered a heart attack in 2014, requiring long-term medical care and meaning that his son Lee Jae-yong took over as de facto leader of the multinational giant.

“We were very sorry to hear of the passing of Mr Lee, who was such as strong supporter of sport, including equestrian”, said FEI President Ingmar De Vos. “His sponsorship of our Nations Cup, which then became known as the Samsung Super League, contributed immensely to the evolution of this prestigious series and for this we owe him an enormous debt of gratitude. He leaves a huge legacy behind.”

The FEI extends its deepest sympathy to Mr Lee’s family and to his wide circle of friends.

The FEI has opened disciplinary proceedings against USA Jumping Athlete Andrew Kocher (FEI ID: 10064248) following allegations that he has used electric spurs on a number of FEI registered and national horses in international and national events, and during training.

The disciplinary proceedings against Andrew Kocher are in accordance with Article 30 of the Internal Regulations of the FEI Tribunal for multiple alleged breaches of the FEI General Regulations, including Article 142, which prohibits horse abuse.

The Athlete has been provisionally suspended, effective immediately from the date of notification (28 October 2020), meaning that he is ineligible to participate in any FEI Events. The provisional suspension is mirrored by the Athlete’s National Federation, so he is also ineligible to participate in any national events.

The FEI Legal Department had previously notified Andrew Kocher on 29 June 2020 that an investigation had been opened following allegations of him using electric spurs reported to the independent Equestrian Community Integrity Unit (ECIU).

Information on this case is available here.

In order to ensure the integrity of the ongoing legal proceedings, the FEI will not provide further comment on this case at this time.

 

Sabrina Ibáñez, Secretary General of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), has been appointed Chair of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) Diversity and Gender Equality Consultative Group. The announcement was made following today’s ASOIF Council online meeting.

“Diversity and gender equality at the top table are crucial to the success of any organisation,” the FEI Secretary General said.

“Now, more than ever, we need to ensure that all voices are heard in the decision-making process to better address the constant change in the sporting landscape. I am extremely honoured to have been given this responsibility and to continue working with a group of people with the drive and passion to move the agenda forward, particularly at a time when there is an even greater urgency to make sustainable decisions.”

“Sabrina Ibáñez is a highly experienced sports leader and will be an excellent chair for ASOIF’s Diversity and Gender Equality Consultative Group, of which she is a founding member,” ASOIF President Francesco Ricci Bitti said. “She represents a Federation which has been exemplary in promoting gender equality and diversity. Together with the other Group members, she will provide important advice to ASOIF.”

The ASOIF Diversity and Gender Equality Consultative Group (ADGEG) was established by the ASOIF General Assembly in May 2019 as a follow-up action to the recommendations of the IOC’s Gender Equality Review Project. The ADGEG was mandated to address and challenge stereotypes and work closely with the IOC towards a world of sport which provides equal opportunity for everyone.

The Chair and members of the ADGEG are proposed by the ASOIF Secretariat and formally appointed by the ASOIF Council.

Sabrina Ibáñez, who has been a member of the Group since its inception, takes over as Chair from Marisol Casado, IOC Member and Chair of the IOC’s Gender Equality Review Project and President of the International Triathlon Union (ITU). Marisol Casado remains a member, and the Group is completed by David Carrigy (World Rugby), Robert Fasulo (International Surfing Association), Heike Groesswang (International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation), Amina Lanaya (International Cycling Union), Deqa Niamkey (United World Wrestling) and Matt Smith (World Rowing).

“We have seen that International Federations with gender equality on their boards have a 70% higher success rate overall,” the FEI Secretary General said. “Unfortunately, the organisational structures that currently exist across the sport’s world have relegated some groups of people to the sidelines so that they are not fully included in important decision-making processes.

“Equal access and opportunity to participate in sport is a fundamental human right and it is this capacity for inclusivity that gives sport its true power.”

The former FEI Governance and Executive Affairs Director, Sabrina Ibáñez became the first female FEI Secretary General in 2014. She was elected the first President of the Association of Paralympic Sports Organisations (APSO) in 2017 and is also a member of the IOC Gender Equality Working Group. FEI President Ingmar De Vos became a UN International Gender Champion in March 2017.

“Both the FEI President and I are keen advocates of open and frank discussions of gender and diversity within the equestrian community, which is why we dedicated a session to gender equality at the 2019 FEI Sports Forum”, Ms Ibáñez said. “It allowed us to take stock of where we are as a sport and to inject some new thinking and ideas into the discussion.”

While equestrian sport is gender neutral on the field of play, the FEI has introduced key practices to reduce the structural barriers to gender equality and diversity at the leadership level. The criteria of the Nominations Committee now states that if there are comparable candidates for a position, preference needs to be given to the gender that is under-represented in the body.

As part of FEI Solidarity, the Federation also created the Gender Equality Grant in Equestrian Sport in 2020 to grant CHF 20,000 to one specific National Federation project or programme whose main aim and focus is the promotion of gender equality. This can include programmes relating to governance and administration, athletes’ participation, coaches, officials, grooms and farriers.

The FEI has opened disciplinary proceedings against Brazilian Dressage Athlete Leandro Aparecido Da Silva following video footage, widely shared on social media, in which he is seen riding and mistreating a very small pony. The athlete has publicly acknowledged that it is him in the video riding his daughter’s pony.

Earlier this month, the FEI was notified that the Brazilian Equestrian Sport Tribunal (“Superior Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva do Hipismo Brasileiro”) had issued a decision in September that they had no jurisdiction in this case as it was an out-of-competition incident.

As a result, the FEI has opened separate disciplinary proceedings against Da Silva in accordance with Article 30 of the Internal Regulations of the FEI Tribunal for alleged breaches of Article 142 of the FEI General Regulations, which prohibits horse abuse.

In order to ensure the integrity of the ongoing legal proceedings, the FEI will not provide further comment on this case at this time.

The FEI has committed to allocate European Championships in two Olympic disciplines – Jumping and Dressage – for 2021, both to German venues.

The FEI Board has confirmed allocation of the FEI Jumping European Championships 2021 to Riesenbeck, home-base of Barcelona 1992 Olympic champion Ludger Beerbaum, pending final confirmation from the Organiser. The Championships will be listed in the FEI Calendar for 30 August to 4 September 2021.

Allocation of the FEI Dressage Championships 2021 was confirmed to Hagen, host venue to major international events annually, also pending final confirmation from the Organiser. The Championships will be entered into the FEI Calendar for 7-12 September 2021.

Confirmation of the decision on the two Championships came at yesterday’s FEI Board meeting, held via videoconference. The FEI Board, with the full support of the European Equestrian Federation (EEF), agreed that in view of the rescheduled Olympic and Paralympic Games and the huge amount of planning involved, if either of the venues is unable to host these Championships, the bid process for 2021 will not be re-opened.

Following the postponement of this year’s Tokyo Games to 2021, the FEI Board had previously ruled that European Championships in the Olympic and Paralympic disciplines should not be held next year to allow the focus to be on Tokyo. However, the EEF and a number of European National Federations urged the FEI Board to review its decision, resulting in yesterday’s resolution.

“We are very happy to have great venues at Riesenbeck and Hagen available to host the European Championships in Jumping and Dressage next year and we look forward to receiving the final confirmation from the two Organisers for these Championships to go ahead”, FEI President Ingmar De Vos said.

“These Championships have really been a great example of the FEI, EEF, the German National Federation, the two Organisers and everyone else involved working together to accommodate the wishes of the European National Federations and the Athletes’ community to have these Championships next year. I am particularly grateful for the valuable work done by the FEI Technical Committees and Calendar Task Forces.”

Sadly there will be no FEI European Eventing Championships in 2021 as the organisers that had put in expressions of interest to host the Championships subsequently withdrew from the process.

The FEI European Para Dressage Championships will also not take place in 2021 to allow athletes to focus on the Tokyo Paralympic Games.

The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decisions in three equine anti-doping cases involving Prohibited Substances

The first case involves the horse Caipirina (FEI ID 105RC16/COL), ridden by Major Juan Pablo Garcia Salgado (FEI ID 10063069/COL), which tested positive for the *Banned Substances Boldenone Undecylenate, Boldenone and Ractopamine following samples taken at the CIC1* in Bonza (COL), 20-22 September 2018.

The athlete admitted to injecting the horse with Boldenone, but claimed he was unaware that Boldenone was a prohibited substance. He was unable to give any information about the presence of Ractopamine in the horse’s sample.

In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal disqualified the horse and athlete from the event, and suspended the athlete for two years. The Provisional Suspension, which came into effect on 30 October 2018, was credited against the period of ineligibility imposed in the decision, meaning the athlete will be ineligible until 29 October 2020. He was also fined CHF 400. The full Decision is available here.

The second case involves the horse S H CIRO (104ZN21/CHI), ridden by Paula Llorens Clark (FEI ID 10086065/CHI). Samples taken from the horse at the CEIYJ2* 120 in Llay Llay (CHI) on 30 March 2019 tested positive for the *Banned Substance O-Desmethyltramadol.

The athlete was able to provide a plausible explanation for the horse testing positive, as support personnel who had been prescribed Tramadol had urinated close to the horse. As a result, the FEI entered into an agreement with the athlete and did not impose any period of ineligibility or costs.

The horse and athlete combination were disqualified from the event. The full Decision is available here.

The third case involves the horse Tra Duncan (104CE66/KSE), ridden by Mohamed Al Jaberi (FEI ID 10063829/KSA), which tested positive for the *Banned Substance Diisopropylamine following samples taken at the CEI1* 110 in Al Qaseem (KSA) on 9 March 2019. The athlete failed to establish the source of the substance and therefore there could be no reduction of the standard two-year suspension.

In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal imposed a two-year suspension on the athlete, and disqualified the horse and athlete combination from the event. The Provisional Suspension on the athlete, which came into effect on 11 April 2019, was credited against the period of ineligibility imposed in the decision, meaning the athlete will be ineligible until 11 April 2021. He was also fined CHF 7,500 and ordered to pay the legal costs of CHF 2,000 that the FEI incurred in these proceedings. The full Decision is available here.

Notes to Editors:

FEI Equine Prohibited Substances

The FEI Prohibited Substances List is divided into two sections: Controlled Medication and *Banned Substances. Controlled Medication substances are those that are regularly used to treat horses, but which must have been cleared from the horse’s system by the time of competition. Banned (doping) Substances should never be found in the body of the horse and are prohibited at all times.

In the case of an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for a Banned Substance, the Person Responsible (PR) is automatically provisionally suspended from the date of notification (with the exception of certain cases involving a Prohibited Substance which is also a Specified Substance). The horse is provisionally suspended for two months.

Specified Substances

The FEI introduced the concept of Specified Substances in 2016. Specified Substances should not in any way be considered less important or less dangerous than other Prohibited Substances (i.e. whether Banned or Controlled). Rather, they are simply substances which are more likely to have been ingested by horses for a purpose other than the enhancement of sport performance, for example, through a contaminated food substance. Positive cases involving Specified Substances can be handled with a greater degree of flexibility within the structure of the FEI Regulations.

Information on all substances is available on the searchable FEI Equine Prohibited Substances Database.