Princess Haya of Jordan faces fight to continue as FEI president due to Sheikh Mohammed 'conflict of interest'

By Pippa Cuckson
18 Sep 2013

International Olympic Committee member Princess Haya was elected to the FEI in 2006 on a clean sport mandate, and stood herself down from the disciplinary processes in 2009 while the ruler of Dubai himself was given a six-month endurance ban in connection with a positive steroids test.

But FEI attempts to reduce overall doping offences in endurance — more than 20 positive tests since 2005 involved horses trained in Maktoum family-owned stables — are undermined by “conflict of interest in the highest appointment of the FEI”, says Charles Trolliet, president of the Swiss equestrian federation.

The Swiss and Dutch will now oppose changes in FEI statutes that would allow Princess Haya to stand again when her second term ends in 2014.

This comes after months of lobbying by the Swiss, Dutch, French and Belgians for action over doping and horse injury in Middle East endurance.

Concerns about endurance — in which Sheikh Mohammed is world champion — pre-date the horseracing doping scandal at his Moulton Paddocks racing stables in Newmarket...

Read more here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/10318497/Princess-Haya-of-Jordan-faces-fight-to-continue-as-FEI-president-due-to-Sheikh-Mohammed-conflict-of-interest.html