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Federation
Equestre Internationale News
23 October 2002
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FEI
DELEGATION MEETS WITH THE IOC
On
23 October 2002, an FEI delegation met with the IOC President
Jacques Rogge and the IOC Sports Director Gilbert Felli and two
members of the sports department to present FEI's counterproposal
to respond to the Olympic Programme Commission's recommendation
to exclude Eventing from the Olympic programme. The FEI delegation
was composed of HRH The Infanta Doña Pilar de Borbón
(ESP), President, Freddy Serpieri (GRE), 1st Vice President, Wayne
Roycroft (AUS), President of the Eventing Committee, Dr Bo Helander,
Secretary General and Catrin Norinder, Manager of the Eventing
& Olympic Department.
The meeting was held in a very open and constructive atmosphere.
The FEI delegation presented in detail the counterproposal to
address the concerns of the IOC Commission in terms of costs,
global participation and safety. The proposal consisted of:
- A shorter Olympic format along the lines of the existing CIC
format including only one of the four phases of the cross country
test (exclusion of steeple chase and road and tracks)
- Team and Individual competitions run concurrently for the 3
traditional tests (Dressage, Cross Country and Jumping) and an
additional Jumping test to determine the individual winner
The proposed formula allows the FEI to respond to the IOC Commission
report, in particular with regard to the costs to the organiser
to stage Eventing.
- Land and cost requirements reduced by half
- Number of officials and volunteers required reduced by 75%
- Reduced TV production costs
- Reduced time of the cross country
The FEI delegation emphasised the additional benefits of the proposal
such as an increased in global participation and universality
of the sport through reduction of the endurance component of the
event.
Negotiations to use this format already at the 2004 Olympic Games
are currently taking place between the IOC, ATHOC and the FEI.
The
efforts made by the FEI during the last two years in the field
of safety were underlined. The FEI has conducted a thorough study
on the discipline of Eventing, consulting with a number of specialists
from inside and outside the sport. Important changes were made
in the discipline format to improve safety both of the riders
and horses, including changes to the qualification system, reduction
of the cross country speed, and elimination after the first fall
of horse. Furthermore, a global safety programme was put in place
including monitoring of the sport and creation of a results and
qualification database.
The
document summarising the FEI's proposal to the IOC to retain Eventing
in the Olympic Programme was circulated among the 130 National
Federation members at the end of September. The NFs offered their
unconditional support to the plan and conveyed additional arguments
in favour of Eventing to be included in the final report, which
was presented today to the IOC
www.horsesport.org
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