I don’t envy anyone trying to sort the havoc this virus has wreaked on our sport right now. The USEF, USEA — any national governing body, really — and especially not the FEI. Take the 2020 Tokyo Olympic qualification process, for instance. It was rocket-science enough …
Actual footage of Tilly Berendt deconstructing the Olympic qualification system for EN … still not unconvinced the FEI didn’t just read her articles to allot team and individual spots.
… before the coronavirus came along and burned the whole system to the ground. What now? Who’s qualified? What’s fair? Are we going to do this whole thing over again? Is poor Tilly in for a whole other year of wishing she’d traded in her liberal arts education for a degree in Advanced Calculus with a specialty in Complex Variables and Applied Probability?
Tilly, realizing that her 80-page astrophysics dissertation on 2020 Olympic eventing qualifications was for naught because there’s a whole new MER deadline now and who even knows when the next event will be anyway so whatever.
Sorry Tilly, and also sorry FEI. Olympic qualification is just one of several brain puzzles the FEI has tackled this month in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Below, we’ve outlined a timeline of major FEI resolutions passed pertaining to the sport of eventing. Also, a key to who passed them:
Board Resolution: A Resolution taken by the FEI Board.
Emergency Board Resolution: Pretty much what it sounds like.
Let’s take it from the top! And a 5, 6, 7, 8 …
Via FEI Resolutions:
RANKINGS MITIGATION POLICIES – Board Resolution (April 1)
The Covid-19 outbreak has led to the cancellation or postponement of numerous international events in various regions of the world as of March 2020 and it is still uncertain when the sport will resume at a normal pace. To mitigate the impact this will have on the Longines Rankings and FEI Rankings, until the situation is stabilised the Board has approved two Mitigation Policies: the Longines Rankings and the FEI Rankings.
TOKYO 2020 QUALIFICATION SYSTEM – Board Resolution (April 15)
Based on Article 20.1 vii of the FEI Statutes, the Board agrees with the modifications of the Tokyo 2020 Qualification Systems for the three Olympic Disciplines as per the revised documents provided in Annex 7.1.
The key changes are set out below:
- MER and Confirmation Result Deadline set for June 21, 2021.
- Inclusion of new concept of “Confirmation Result” for the 3 disciplines for those Athlete/Horse combinations that had achieved a MER during the period January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019).
- 2021 MER Events to be published in December 2020. MERs can be achieved at all 2020 Events at the relevant level to take account of the impact of Covid-19 on the FEI Calendar.
- Horses Ownership/Nationality: In addition, the Board agrees to, similar to the principle that applied in 2020, set the deadline for Horses to be registered with the FEI as property of owners of the same nationality by January 15, 2021.
FEI EVENTS & SERIES
EVENTING CALENDAR – Emergency Board Resolution (April 27)
The Board approved the three following Emergency Board Resolutions:
- Deadline by which National Federations should provide their dates for postponed Events in 2020
Until December 31, 2020 submissions for applications and/or modifications of Calendar dates for:
– CCI4* Long Format and CCI5* Long Format Events must reach the FEI Secretary General at least six weeks prior to the Event
– CCI4* Short Format Events and below must reach the FEI Secretary General at least four weeks prior to the Event - Date Clash Rules
Until December 31, 2020:
– CCI4* Short Format and below: no Date Clash Rules apply
– CCI4* Long Format and above: review of date clashes will be done on a case-by-case basis once applications and/or modifications are received from National Federations - Officials
For CCI3* Long Format, the requirement for Foreign Officials could be removed on request and will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. The relevant Articles of the FEI Eventing Rules to be interpreted accordingly.
(Deadline for NFs: Notified on April 28, NFs have until May 28, 2020 to indicate disapproval)
EVENTING CALENDAR/CCI4* MER OPPORTUNITIES; 5* EVENTS 2020 – Board Resolution (April 27)
The Board approved:
- CCIO/Nations Cup 2020
The 2020 Calendar will be left open to encourage all possible CCI4* Minimum Eligibility Requirement (MER) opportunities. Impacted National Federations/Organisers will be consulted by the FEI. - 5* Events 2020
The 2020 Calendar will be left open to allow for any postponements/rescheduling of 5* Events.
More here, including fee reimbursements (FEI TV subscribers will get a refund, since there are no events to watch; FEI calendar fees will be reimbursed for canceled events; cost of annual subscriptions for national federations to FEI reduced by 50%).
