On 26 January 2024, the International Eventing Officials Club (IEOC) filed a claim with the FEI Tribunal against the FEI for alleged breaches of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the IEOC and the FEI. On 29 February 2024, the FEI decided to terminate its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the IEOC. The MOU was based on trust and the mutual commitment to foster the growth of equestrian sport together in a respectful and harmonious manner but unfortunately, in the months leading up to this decision, it became evident that there was a breach of trust and a general breakdown of the relationship with the IEOC management. Seeing that no further dialogue and collaboration was possible, the FEI took the decision to formally terminate the relationship with the IEOC, and thus terminate the MOU.
On the 5 March 2024, the FEI hosted an online Q&A session for all FEI Eventing Officials, following the announcement made regarding the termination of the MOU between the FEI and the IEOC. The session was co-hosted by FEI Legal Director Mikael Rentsch, Director of Eventing & Olympic Catrin Norinder and Director of Education & Officials Frank Spadinger with the aim of providing a platform for FEI Eventing Officials to raise questions and concerns they may have.
In its claim to the FEI Tribunal, the IEOC alleged that the FEI committed eight breaches of the MOU, of which in the Final decision of the FEI Tribunal issued on 20 August 2024, only the fourth was upheld, namely to provide the minutes of all Eventing Committee meetings, which the FEI had already offered to comply with.
The MOU between the IEOC and the FEI had been tacitly extended by both parties after 5 June 2022, for an infinite period and both parties have the right to terminate the MOU at any given moment within a reasonable period of time. Following the FEI’s termination letter of 29 February 2024, the FEI Tribunal ruled that the MOU shall only be validly terminated on 29 August 2024 (and not 29 February 2024 as per the FEI’s termination letter). Until then, the FEI had restored the IEOC’s rights under the MOU. Consequently, as of today, 30 August 2024, the IEOC is officially no longer a recognised stakeholder group of the FEI.
“I would like to stress, that this decision does not impact the relationship of the FEI with its Eventing Officials, whom we fully support in exercising their functions while officiating at FEI Events,” said FEI President Ingmar De Vos.
You can read up on the full FEI Tribunal decision here.
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