FEI Board Meeting II - Summary of key discussions

A summary of the key discussions and decisions from yesterday’s FEI Board Meeting II (via videoconference), part of the FEI Online General Assembly 2020, can be found here.

For all information regarding the virtual FEI General Assembly 2020 week, including the timetable, annexes, wrap-ups and Watch on Replay, can be found on the dedicated FEI General Assembly 2020 hub.

Some of the Key discussions wrap-up:

Greater gender balance and diversity in FEI Board

The FEI President Ingmar De Vos advised the FEI Board at its final meeting of the FEI Online General Assembly on 25 November 2020 that the recent elections and the promotion to full Board Member status of the Medical, Para Equestrian and Vaulting Committee Chairs, has resulted in an improved gender equality balance on the Board.

The percentage of female Board members has now risen to 38% and 62% male. “The recommendation from the IOC is 30% female representation”, Ingmar De Vos said, “but even 38% is not enough and we will keep working on the gender balance.”

The inclusion of Amanda Bond (HKG), Chair of the Para Equestrian Committee as a full Board member brings additional diversity to the Board. The President welcomed the four new FEI Board members elected by the FEI Online General Assembly: Brigitte Mathias (NAM), Chair of FEI Regional Group IX; Christian Lozano (FRA), Chair of the FEI Endurance Committee; Pavla Krauspe, Chair of the FEI Vaulting Committee; and Janice Shardlow (GBR), Chair of the FEI Audit and Compliance Committee. Outgoing Board members Mary Binks, former Chair of the Group IX and Brian Mangan, former Chair of the Audit and Compliance Committee, have been appointed as Honorary FEI Board Members for their dedicated service to the FEI.

In an update on the FEI Online General Assembly on 23 November, the Secretary General informed the Board that the total count of National Federations now stands at 136 as the National Federation of Brunei (BRU) has been excluded from FEI membership due to nonpayment of dues for the past two years.

In a further update following the announcement at the FEI Online General Assembly that 10 National Federations had been suspended for non-payment of dues, Armenia (ARM), Azerbaijan (AZE), Georgia (GEO) and Turkmenistan (TKM) have now been reinstated and are members of good standing following full payment of their dues.

World Equestrian Centre, Ocala

The 2021 events schedule for the World Equestrian Centre in Ocala, FL (USA) was discussed by the FEI Board, but as more information on this matter is required, this will be tabled for further discussions at the next FEI Board meeting on 15 December. Separately, the Board reviewed the requests of the Equestrian Organisers regarding the FEI Calendar 2021 and also discussed articles in the Jumping Rules that will need to looked at by the Jumping Committee and reviewed for the Rules Revision in 2021.

Press Release