Ottawa, Ontario— Equine Canada announces that on March 21 the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada released a binding decision on the complaint lodged by Canadian Dressage rider Evi Strasser of Saint-Adele, QC. The complaint was in regards to the Dressage Canada Selection Committee’s decision to allow an exemption from the published criteria for fellow Dressage rider Jacqueline Brooks. The exemption effectively allowed her to compete in the Canadian League Dressage World Cup Final held November 8-9, 2006, at the Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON.
Strassers’ complaint was heard internally under Equine Canada’s Dispute Resolution Policy before being brought forward for binding arbitration with the Alternative Dispute Resolution Tribunal, within the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada.
The Sport Dispute Resolution Centre’s decision effectively overturns the decision made by the Dressage Canada Selection Committee in October 2006, and as a result of the Arbitrator’s binding decision, allowing Strasser’s complaint, it was determined that Brooks was not eligible to compete in the Canadian League Dressage World Cup Final, therefore, making Strasser the declared winner.