CHENNAI: In a big embarrassment for the country, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) decided not to allocate any solidarity projects and courses to India and advised its officials not to travel there without prior payment of their expenses by the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI). The FEI has mailed the EFI informing it about the decisions taken during its in-person board meeting on November 13 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
"Given the leadership situation of IND NF as well as latest developments concerning the organisation of international events and FEI courses in India, the FEI Board has decided that: 1) until all outstanding debts are settled with the FEI officials and with the coaches hired to train Indian athletes for the Asian Games 2023, and 2) the new executive committee is elected: A) Not to allocate FEI solidarity projects, B) Not to allocate FEI course, C) Advise all officials planning to travel to India for international events to refuse without prior payment of their expenses by IND NF and D) Regarding the biosecurity course cancelled last minute with no valid justification on 12-13 October 2024, invoicing the IND NF the per diem paid by the FEI to the course director Prof Anne Courouce for a total of € 1600," read a letter sent to the EFI by Francisco Lima, FEI Director Governance & Institutional Affairs.
As the mail reads, the FEI is not happy with the functioning of the Indian federation and also wants it to clear dues of coaches hired to train Indian athletes for the Asian Games.
Colonel Jagat Singh, acting president of the EFI, also termed it as an embarrassment for the country and said he will demand a meeting of the executive council to find a way out. "It really is an embarrassment for the country. Asking officials not to tour India without prior payment of their expenses is a direct attack on the credibility of the country," the acting president told this daily.
Speaking about the dues pertaining to the Asian Games, Singh said, "Coaches and horses were hired in Germany ahead of the Asian Games. The Indian government sanctioned Rs 6 crore for this. Besides, the executive committee has been informed that the EFI has broken fixed deposits (FDs) also. The FDs were worth around Rs 15 crore. I don't understand how the payments are due despite all that. We have demanded a break-up of the expenses incurred in the previous meeting but were denied. We will put forth the same demand again if the meeting is held."
Singh said the meeting is important to sort out the mess and devise a way forward. "The good part is that the international federation has not derecognised the EFI. That is the only saving grace. In a way, it's good for the sport in the country as now everything is in the open. This is an opportunity for all the stakeholders to clear the mess and start with a renewed hope," added Singh.
The EFI, though, issued a rebuttal, saying that it was surprised to receive such mail from the world governing body. "The EFI would like to put on record that all the dues were cleared by it by on November 20, 2024 and an official communication was made to FEI official Catrin Norinder who had acknowledged the receipt of the same.
"The EFI was taken by surprise when such a communication landed in its inbox from Francisco Lima and a detailed letter to the same was being issued today.
"We have written back to the FEI that there is a mistake on their part which needs correction. It has now come to light that the person who wrote today's mail was on leave and was unaware that EFI had settled all the dues," an EFI statement said.
The EFI hasn't had its elections since 2019. The federation has frequently been hit by selection controversies ahead of every big event like the 2024 Paris Olympics, 2018 and 2022 (which was extended by a year) Asian Games.
Earlier in May this year, the Delhi High Court had appointed the ad-hoc administrative committee (AAC) to run the day-to-day affairs of the body following a plea by the Rajasthan Equestrian Federation. The EFI, however, challenged the decision and got a favourable decision as the court allowed the existing executive committee to continue.