FEI president Princess Haya refuses to allow a re-vote on bute

HourseandHound.co.uk
Abigail Butcher, H&H head of news, in Denmark
19 November, 2009

Britain's and Ireland's calls for a re-vote on the decision to allow bute in competition have been dismissed.

Damian McDonald chief executive of Horse Sport Ireland has questioned this afternoon whether delegates at the FEI general assembly understood fully what they were voting for.

"On 13 November it was stated by the FEI that we would get a choice between the 'progressive list' and a list legally called the '20 October list'," he said.

"But this morning we were asked to vote on 'progressive list' and 'current list', and the current list we had until now is very different from the list of 20 October."

He urged to allow a revote to be absolutely certain that federations were clear on what they were voting for, a call backed up by British Equestrian Federation (BEF) chairman Keith Taylor.

"I suggest that if there is sufficient doubt in the room that a vote should be retaken," said Mr Taylor.

But FEI president Princess Haya refused to allow a re-vote, claiming a number of delegates had already left the assembly. Before they left, the Princess said they had told her of their concern that the FEI might backtrack on the decision taken this morning.

"The vote has been taken," said Princess Haya. "We will not take it again."

German equestrian federation president Breido Graf zu Rantzau warned: "How can we leave Copenhagen like this? It divides the FEI."