The Court of Arbitration for Sport overturns suspension imposed by the FEI Board on UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation

UAEERF.ae

The UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation (UAEERF) confirms that the original decision of the FEI Board, dated 24 September 2020, has been partially quashed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The suspension originally imposed by the FEI Board prohibited Endurance events until 31 March 2021. This suspension has been significantly reduced, such that all UAE equestrian disciplines can now return to competition from 1 January 2021. This CAS Decision granting all UAE equestrian disciplines the right to resume as of 1 January 2021 was ratified on 23 November 2020, by the FEI General Assembly.

CAS also emphasized that the remainder of the suspension should in no way interfere with the organization of events to be held in the United Arab Emirates from 1 January 2021, explicitly allowing any administrative preparatory activity to take place in the UAE from 1 January 2021. Notably, the fines originally imposed by the FEI have also been halved by the CAS, while an order by the FEI Board that the UAEERF should pay the FEI’s legal fees has been completely annulled by CAS.

The UAEERF Secretary General Dr. Ghanem Al Hajri commented: “We note the significant reduction in the sanctions by CAS. We considered the original sanctions to have been wholly disproportionate. We will review the full decision once we have received it before considering any further legal steps. For now, we are working hard to get riders, owners and organisers back on track from 1 January.”

Background information

On September 24, 2020, the UAEERF was suspended by the FEI Board following an investigation into allegations that at two national endurance competitions, the Sheikh Mohammed Cup (held on January 4, 2020) and the President’s Cup (held on February 10, 2020), the number of foreign riders permitted under FEI rules had been exceeded. The suspension was based exclusively on exceeding the foreign rider quota for national events and did not allege any horse welfare or integrity violations.

UAEERF launched an appeal against the FEI’s decision before the CAS. Following a hearing on 12 and 13 November, the CAS delivered the operative part of its decision on 17 November in which it set aside the FEI Board’s decision, partially upheld the UAEERF’s appeal and reduced the imposed sanctions.

The CAS has decided that the period of suspension should end for all disciplines, including endurance, on 31 December 2020. The administrative suspension has been brought to an immediate end, as the CAS stated that the suspension should in no way interfere with any administrative preparatory activity (including entry into the FEI calendar) of events to take place after the suspension ceases to have effect. In addition, the CAS has reduced the fines by half, and annulled the imposition of legal costs with the FEI now having to bear its own costs.

Australia: State champs sure to be an enduring affair

Tatimes.com.au - Full Article

By Jeff Hanson
November 27, 2020

The Tumut Endurance committee will breathe a heavy sigh of relief at 12pm tonight, when they finally get their chance to host the NSW Endurance Riding Association (NSWERA) state championships.

After originally preparing to host the event over the June long weekend, and again later in the year; the club was forced to put the date back for a third time due to the travel restrictions associated with Covid-19.

Still at the stroke of midnight tonight, Tumut Endurance will get to utilise the picturesque Bondo State Forest headquarters, as the best endurance riders in the country take off on 160km of beautifully rugged Snowy Mountains course.

Tumut Endurance committee member and event organiser, Kim Stephens, has been involved in the sport since 1966, and explained it was a very different feeling this year, although she was very pleased to see the event unfolding over the next two days...

Read more here:
https://tatimes.com.au/state-champs-sure-to-be-an-enduring-affair/

Sweden: Dackeritten 2020

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

20 November 2020
Race Report made with the assistance of Yvonne Ekelund
Photo Credit: Peter Svensson

Växjö, Sweden. Sunday 1 November 2020.

Endurance World Dackeritten Växjö.02 HelleSwedish last international endurance race for 2020 took place in Växjö. The ride is named after the farmer and rebel leader Nils Dacke who lived in the area around Småland during the 16th century. Nils Dacke became known as the leader of the peasant uprising in Småland, the so-called “Dackefejden” against King Gustav Vasa.

The race tracks ran through the forests where once the rebels rode in the 16th century.

The CEI1* 100 km was ridden in 3 loops, the flat track ran through a large beech forest reserve and around one of its many lakes, Södra Bergundasjönin, in the Växjö municipality, with some gravel roads up to the village Dänningelanda and back to the competition site at the riding school in Bergunda. This year the tracks were a bit slippery due to all the wet leaves, otherwise the course was very nice, said competition leader Yvonne Ekelund...

Read more here:
https://endurance-world.com/dackeritten-2020/

CAS upholds suspension of UAE National Federation until end 2020

Inside.FEI.org

17 November 2020
Author: FEI

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.

More at:
https://inside.fei.org/content/cas-upholds-suspension-uae-national-federation-until-end-2020-0

Saudi Arabia: Rider blames ‘cocktail’ of drugs in horse’s system on ‘unknown’ operation

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Becky Murray
7 November, 2020 17:03

An endurance rider who competed a horse with a “cocktail” of drugs in his system, blamed the positive test results on an operation he claimed he was unaware the horse had undergone days earlier.

Moro Tianko, trained and ridden by Saudi Arabian Mohammed Alalewi, tested positive for prohibited substances following the CEI2* 120km Al Ula on 2 February 2019. The gelding’s blood sample tested positive for banned substance tolfenamic acid (an anti-inflammatory drug with analgesic effects) and controlled substances lidocaine (a local anaesthetic used in the treatment of some skin diseases), flunixin, diclofenac, phenylbutazone and oxyphenbutazone (anti-inflammatory drugs with analgesic effects)...

Read more here:
https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/endurance-horse-positive-dope-test-blamed-on-operation-729725

Bahrain: Shaikh Nasser on ‘Elite Jockeys’ list

GDOnline.com - Full Article

9 November 2020

HIS Majesty’s representative for humanitarian work and youth affairs Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa has qualified for the ‘Elite Jockeys’ category.

He won the 160km qualifying race held at the Bahrain International Endurance Village during the endurance season opener.

The race was held over five stages, with the first phase covering a distance of 40km.

Shaikh Nasser finished first, followed by Abdulrahman Al Zayed in second and Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa third.

Shaikh Nasser expressed utmost happiness at winning first place and joining the elite group, in which the kingdom’s jockeys are always present, confirming the advanced level of the kingdom’s endurance sport...

Read more here:
http://www.gdnonline.com/Details/897065/Shaikh-Nasser-on-%E2%80%98Elite-Jockeys%E2%80%99-list

Three-Year Ban After Horse Tests Positive to Six Different Drugs

HorseSport.com - Full Article

Canada’s Tribunal member rejects claims that the prohibited substances resulted from surgery ‘a few days before the race.’

By: Pippa Cuckson | November 5, 2020

Vancouver lawyer Harveen Thauli has handed down a record three-year FEI suspension for a first anti-doping offence on a Saudi endurance rider whose horse tested positive to six prohibited drugs at the showcase Al Ula ride in February 2019. He was also fined 10,000 Swiss francs (CAN $ 14,400.)

Mohammed Alalewi claimed that his horse Moro Tianko underwent an operation a few days before the ride and this must have accounted for the positives.

Both Ms Thauli, sitting as a one-member FEI Tribunal panel, and the FEI’s legal department dismissed the rider’s argument he was unaware of the alleged surgery, if it even occurred. He was also the horse’s registered trainer and so responsible for its care.

Moro Tianko tested positive to Tolfenamic Acid, a banned non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug with anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, and five controlled substances – Lidocaine, a local anaesthetic with local anaesthetic effects, Diclofenac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug with anti-inflammatory and analgesic, and Flunixin, Phenylbutazone and Oxyphenbutazone, anti-inflammatory drugs with analgesic effects...

Read more here:
https://horsesport.com/horse-news/three-year-ban-horse-tests-positive-six-different-drugs/