FEI officials unhappy over remarks by Belgian coach about endurance racing

By Gary Anderson

October 18 - A row has erupted between the secretary general of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) Ingmar De Vos and the Belgian national coach Pierre Arnould over comments made by Arnould regarding the continued problems with doping and horse welfare in the Middle East.

De Vos has accused Arnould, a member of FEI's Endurance Committee, of making "unsubstantiated allegations" and bringing "the sport and the FEI into disrepute".

It remarks made by the Belgian in British newspaper The Daily Telegraph earlier this week, in which he raised concerns that endurance racing is facing an uncertain future and in danger of being banned if issues surrounding doping and horse welfare are not addressed properly.

Arnould's remarks come after authorities found illegal drugs at the Newmarket endurance stables owned by the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and on a Dubai Government plane last month.

It follows revelations that first surfaced in the spring of this year when 22 horses at the Godolphin racing stable owned by the Sheikh in Newmarket tested positive for anabolic steroids, leading to the stable's main trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni being banned for eight years.

Following the incident last month, Sheikh Mohammed has ordered his wife, Princess Haya, President of the FEI, to carry out a full investigation.

FEI President Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein has been ordered by her husband Sheikh Mohammed to carry out an investigation into the illegal drugs found in Newmarket and on a Dubai Government plane at Stansted Airport

Arnould says that increasing concerns are being raised, particularly by the Belgian, Swiss and French federations, surrounding the FEI's handling of issues concerning the number of doping violations and injury and fracture rates with endurance horses in the Middle East, claiming dozens of horses have died during and after competitions.

The Belgian says that following a meeting between De Vos and the FEI endurance committee in June this year, tougher measures were agreed to address the problem which included extending sanctions for doping to owners and federations, including life bans, and overseeing officials at competitions, to tackle the issue of corruption, which he claims is an ongoing problem in the regions of Dubai, Bahrain and Qatar in particular.

De Vos has dismissed Arnould's claims.

"I do not accept the statement made public by Pierre Arnould, a member of the FEI Endurance Committee, for a number of reasons," he said.

"Mr Arnould has made unsubstantiated allegations about the sport and, in so doing, has brought the sport and the FEI into disrepute.

"Mr Arnould has stated publicly that the FEI Bureau has rejected proposals put forward by the Endurance Committee.

"This is absolutely untrue.

"Mr Arnould spoke as a member of the FEI Endurance Committee without either mandate or consultation.

"The chair of the Committee has written to Mr Arnould on this issue.

"Like all FEI Committee Members, Mr Arnould signed a non-disclosure document and a declaration agreeing to support and actively endorse FEI policies.

"As an individual Pierre Arnould can speak his mind, but he cannot speak on behalf of an FEI Committee without consulting its chair and his fellow members.

"This is not just a legal issue.

"His actions show a total lack of respect for his colleagues on the Committee, but also for other volunteers within our organisation.

"Mr Arnould is in clear breach of this signed agreement and his behaviour is totally unacceptable.

"In response to Mr Arnould's statement, I state categorically that the FEI is working to address the issues in endurance and has been for some time."

Sheikh Mohammed (second from right) takes part in an endurance race which faces an uncertain future according to Belgian Pierre Arnould

Ahead of next month's FEI General Assembly, which is due to take place in Montreux, from November 4 until 7, De Vos claimed the governing body was looking into whether any further action "needs to be taken" against Arnould.

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