Meeting of the FEI Judicial Committee

The newly expanded Judicial Committee met in plenary on 28 June 2005 in London in order to address a number of pending matters.

In attendance were FEI Judicial Committee members: Ken Lalo (ISR), Erik Elstad (NOR), Philip O’Connor (IRL), Francis Michielsens (BEL) (outgoing member), Jens Adolphsen (GER), Leonidas Georgopoulos (GRE), Helen Huggett (GBR) and Rogério Marcolini (representing Committee member Felipe Amodeo (BRA)) as well as Alexander McLin, the Head of the Legal Department of the FEI and Annie Cormier Smith, in-house Legal Counsel for the FEI.

The meeting provided an opportunity for the Committee members to get acquainted with the new coming members and to exchange thoughts on the processing of medication cases, implementing the task force recommendation and the many other legal issues currently facing international sport organisations including the FEI and the equestrian sport.

The newly elected members are Jens Adolphsen, Felipe Amodeo, Leonidas Georgopoulos, and Helen Huggett. Together with the remaining incumbents, the Judicial Committee is comprised of qualified attorneys in multiple jurisdictions, all with relevant experience in administration and/or competition with respect to various international equestrian disciplines.

The Judicial Committee members focused particularly on sanctioning policy with respect to doping and positive medication cases. In doing so, close attention was paid to the recommendations of the Task Force on Medication and Doping made to the FEI General Assembly in April 2005. These, together with the impact of the World Anti-Doping Code and other applicable laws, were closely examined with a view to providing for equitable and transparent processes and penalties, where applicable, in the future and upon implementation of other key task force recommendations.

Processes concerning evidence gathering and hearings, case allocation and conflicts of interest were discussed. Committee members considered proposals from the FEI Legal Department and provided input with respect to issues of publication, confidentiality and expedited (“fast track”) procedures in particular cases, with a view to continuously improving the efficiency of the FEI judicial process.

The Judicial Committee heard reports from Dr Andrew Higgins, Chairman of the newly formed Medication Advisory Group (MAG), on the group’s work related to recommended levels of detection for laboratories with respect to prohibited substances and the establishment of indicative withdrawal times for certain substances. It also heard a report from Dr John Lloyd-Parry, Chairman of the Medical Committee (a sub-committee of the Judicial Committee), on matters concerning the welfare and testing of riders in the various equestrian disciplines.

Highlights of certain issues discussed including recommendations made by the committee shall be published in due course.