Change to the FEI blood rule?

A possible change to the "Blood Rule" will be put to the vote at the FEI General Assembly in November. The proposal comes from the International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC) and provides for disqualification to be waived in certain cases. Instead, warnings or continued riding after veterinary clearance could be possible.

IJRC on adjustments to the Blood Rule

On its website, the IJRC advocates a differentiated interpretation of the so-called "Blood Rule" and calls for officials to be given discretionary powers in the event of bleeding on the horse. According to the IJRC, sanctions should be appropriate to the respective violation and take into account factors such as voluntariness, severity of the incident and any mitigating circumstances.

The current FEI rule provides for automatic disqualification in the event of bleeding, for example on the horse's flank. Although a new protocol was introduced in 2016, the IJRC criticizes that concrete procedural rules for the application of the rule have come too late. The IJRC demands that every rule must be accompanied by clear implementation procedures and that decisions are made in accordance with the rule of law.

The association also argues that the presumption of innocence must apply to riders. In countries such as Switzerland, France or Italy, disqualification for horse abuse can automatically result in criminal prosecution. Therefore, a careful case-by-case examination is essential to ensure so-called "sporting justice".

Photo: Pferdefotografie Lafrentz