FEI to set up working groups to deal with the impact of Covid-19

The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) Board of Directors approved the creation of working groups during its monthly teleconference yesterday. The working groups, each focusing on a single discipline, will remain in place until further decision by the Board. The FEI Secretary General, Sabrina Ibáñez, who has overall responsibility for the international equestrian competition calendar, will chair each working group. FEI Vice-Presidents Mark Samuel of Canada and Jack Huang of Taiwan will be members of each working group alongside Theo Ploegmakers of the Netherlands, President of the European Equestrian Federation, and Peter Bollen of Belgium, President of the International Alliance of Equestrian Organisers. The EIF Calendar Administrator and a representative of the EIF IT and Legal Departments will also sit on each of the working groups.

The individual working groups, which will also include the Chair of the relevant Technical Committee, an athlete representative and the FEI Sport Director for the specific discipline, will examine any problems with the FEI Calendar caused by the Covid-19 virus and make recommendations to the FEI on how to resolve them. The President of the FEI will be kept up to date by each of the working groups and will attend meetings as necessary to assist in finalising proposed solutions to be submitted for approval to the FEI Board of Directors. Following yesterday’s postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the FEI has already received assurances from the IOC that it will work in tandem with all International Federations to find the best solutions to all issues, including rescheduling dates and the impact this will have on the international calendar for all sports.