Text © World of Showjumping

The FEI Hybrid General Assembly 2023, which took place in Mexico City on November 21, approved all the proposed modifications to the FEI rules and regulations for 2024.

With the required quorum needed being 66, a total of 69 national federations from the affiliated 136 were present in person while 27 were voting online. 

While the FEI Hybrid Extraordinary General Assembly approved the proposed modifications to the FEI Statutes, the following General Assembly approved all the proposed modifications to the FEI rules and regulations, which included modifications to the FEI's Internal Regulations, the FEI General Regulations, the Anti-Doping Rules for Human Athletes, the FEI Veterinary Regulations and the FEI Jumping Rules. 

The FEI's proposals to a new social media policy and an expansion in available tools in Integrity and Ethics matters (art. 156.4), part of the proposed modifications to the FEI General Regulations, were voted on separately.

68 national federations were in favour of the proposed social media policy, while 15 voted against and three abstained – resulting in the approval of the policy which has caused discussions since the first draft was published in July this year.

Originally aimed at athletes and officials, the social media policy received extensive feedback from several national federations and other stakeholders prior to the General Assembly, with the EEF (European Equestrian Federation) pointing out how “Policing the social media is not an FEI Rules matter.”

Following the various feedback, the final proposal from the FEI was to have one social media policy that will apply to anyone – including but not limited to athletes, officials, accredited persons, FEI representatives (FEI board members, FEI committee members, FEI headquarters staff, etc), organisers, support personnel (coaches, trainers, horse owners, grooms, stewards, chefs d’equipe, team staff, etc), and persons responsible, which now, following the divided vote in Mexico City, will come into force on January 1, 2024. 

The FEI’s proposed expansion to available tools in Integrity/Ethics matters – art. 156.4 in FEI General Regulations – which received opposition by some of the FEI's biggest national federations in the lead-up to the General Assembly, was voted on separately as well. Despite seven heavyweight national federations and the IEOC clearly opposing the proposal in their feedback to the FEI prior to the General Assembly, the FEI opted to stick to their initial wording and the proposal was approved with 70 national federations in favour, 14 voting against and two abstaining.

The national federations of Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland and Sweden made a statement regarding the FEI Board’s decision to lift the protective measures regarding Russian and Belarusian athletes, horses and officials.

“In response to the FEI Board decision of 18 November 2023 on protective measures regarding Russian and Belarusian Athletes, Horses and Officials, the Nordic, Baltic and Central Europe National Federations are obliged to address the equestrian community with a following statement,” Martin Hääl, the president of the Estonian federation, said in Mexico City. “With all due respect, we cannot support the FEI Board decision on lifting the protective measures to allow future participation of Russian and Belarusian Athletes, Horses and Officials as neutrals.The situation with the war in Ukraine has not changed. Therefore, we stand firm in our position, not to open the participation for Russian and Belarusian Athletes, Horses and Officials in international sports. Now is not the right time to consider their return. The neutrality of Russian and Belarusian Athletes, Horses and Officials cannot be defined, checked and supervised effectively. Nordic, Baltic and Central Europe National Equestrian Federations take this opportunity to reaffirm our steadfast support once again with the Ukrainian people and the demand for peace.”

The FEI Hybrid General Assembly 2023 in Mexico City concluded with the announcement of the dates for the FEI Sports Forum 2024, which will be held in Lausanne (SUI) on 29 and 30 April, while the FEI Hybrid General Assembly 2024 will take place from 9 to 13 November in Muscat (OMA). 

According to the FEI, the sessions for the FEI Sports Forum 2024 will include discussions on the action plan in connection with the Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission report, sustainability, gender equality, update on preparations and communications for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, anti-doping rules, athletes’ safeguarding, as well as a follow-up session on the cost of jumping events.