Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

At 02:49 AM 1/31/2005, heidi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> Looks like the pro FEI spin machine is starting to crank up, eh?
> Truman, I am neither "pro" nor "anti" FEI.  It exists. 

As I said earlier today, I think the FEI got blindsided by this DQ issue.

The FEI, if anything, needs to have more control over the OCs in
championship venues. There should be no OC decisions in the areas of
the competition. These are the domain of the FEI. To allow such
influence is basically to undermine the public perception of fairness
within the competition.

In this case, the "who controls the competition" issue should be
clearly and fully addressed by the FEI. 

As a separate issue, the protocol for resolution of drug testing was
fully disclosed prior to the event. There were no questions in any of
the participants minds concerning that protocol. It is the FEI Foreign
Technical Delegate whose responsibility it is to insure that the
protocol is followed.

Along with that, the OC must acknowledge that the competition is the
FEIs responsibility. This last acknowledgement is the one that was
ignored with respect to the DQ on short notice before the medal
presentations on Friday evening.

So, hopefully, w/o spin (though that's humanly impossible), the FEI
failed to assert itself properly - the OC overstepped it's bounds by
not allowing the FEI procedures to operate - and now it will take a
bit for it all to settle out.

The broader issue of abuse of enhancing substances in competitive
environments should also be addressed. The envelope on this issue has
been pushed dramatically both in FEI and in AERC events. 

Excessive amounts of exotic electrolyte mixtures are ok?
Administration of joint lubricants is ok? what is and what is not
allowable needs to be fully resolved and fully reviewed in an ongoing
processes.

In the AERC, where the drug rule is so eloquently naive, there is not
an issue at 99% of the events. At the FEI Championship events, this
may not be the case. FEI will need to more fully address this issue
and, I believe, have a much more proactive analysis and testing
procedure than we see at AERC events. 

It may be that the team chemist is the one that gives the last 5% of
competitive edge (to both the rider and the horse!). It must be the
FEI which controls this aspect of the sport. No other organization
involved with endurance CAN do it. No other organization has the scope
or the responsibility TO do it.

Finally, FEI needs to be more transparent in its operations. They CAN
NOT and SHOULD NOT sit on an issue of this import for 72 hours without
a single word beyond what we have seen in the press. The "I can not
comment because I don't know ..." comments which were attributed to
Ian Williams were not appropriate comments from an FEI official at
this time and place. 

All this is, of course, just my opinion, as shaped and formed by the
forces positioned around me:)

fair and biased -- er' balanced!!

johnt



=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=