The Pan Am Equestrian Confederation (PAEC) and USEF are resisting moves by the FEI that threaten the number of countries from the Americas able to qualify for Paris 2024.
Because of pressure to admit more and more “new” equestrian countries to the Olympic Games, strong equestrian regions like North and South America and western Europe have been increasingly “squeezed” by the Olympic quota system. The Americas also appear disadvantaged by the reallocation process when countries in other parts of the world drop out or decide to send only an individual at the last minute.
Particular concerns include FEI proposals to reduce the number of jumping teams qualifying via the 2022 world championships from six to five, and a likely date clash between the 2023 FEI Nations Cup jumping final in Spain and the 2023 Pan Ams, both of which are usually Olympic qualifying opportunities for the Americas. PAEC said: “We cannot have our best athletes excluded from either competition… we would ask that the FEI be proactive in rescheduling the Nations Cup final at least five weeks before or after the jumping events at the Pan American Games.”
PAEC and USEF also oppose the FEI Eventing Nations Cup final becoming an Olympic team qualifying opportunity because, unlike the jumping Nations Cup, it is Eurocentric. They suggest that instead the Paris slot is added to opportunities at the 2022 World Eventing Championship, which are open to all. PAEC said: “We propose that the proposed 2022 Nations Cup team slot be converted back into the team individual slots from where it came. This is a much more universal approach, consistent with the Tokyo universality principles and the desire for ‘more flags’ and encourages and rewards excellence.”
The revised quotas will be debated and voted upon at the FEI General Assembly in Antwerp next month.
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