This is a joint letter from the President of the IJRC (International Jumping Riders Club), Rodrigo Pessoa and the IJRC Committee members Ludger Beerbaum, Francois Mathy, Eleonora Ottaviani, Cayetano Martinez de Irujo, Peter Wylde, Steve Guerdat, Michel Robert, and Roberto Cristofoletti; Eventing riders Bettina and Andrew Hoy;  the President of the IDRC (International Dressage Riders Club), Margit Otto-Crépin; IDRC board member and Clean Sport Commission member, Wayne Channon and the Chairman of the FEI Athlete’s Commission Chairman, Lee Pearson.  With the wholehearted support of the athletes we represent, we wish to make a declaration following the statement by the President of the FEI on the case of 5-time Olympic Gold Medallist from Dressage, Isabel Werth.

On Sunday (5 July 2009), the FEI President stated to various members of the media at Aachen CHIO that, in her opinion, the FEI as the governing body of horse sports should accept responsibility for the crisis that we now face as a family on the issue of doping in our sport.  Whilst the independent FEI Tribunal will in all likelihood be giving high punishments for doping cases, she believes that athlete’s like Isabel Werth did not mean to cheat or enhance their performance but rather were victims of a system that is unclear.

We are heartened by her faith in us and we wish to state that we join her with our voices and our support in the fight against doping.  The President of the FEI and all the athletes in our three Olympic sports have a clear vision of the future.

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