Since 1977 when the International Jumping Riders Club was founded, the Club has been recognized as the primary riders’ association in the world and represents the interests of all riders towards FEI and sports institutions. The IJRC believes that the positions of the athletes are the central and irreplaceable components of our sport, and must be taken into serious and careful consideration by the organs of the Federations. But this did not always happen, as for example when important subjects like the reduction of the number of riders admitted to the Olympics from four to three (per Federation), the idea to cancel the Table C competition at the World Equestrian Games, the CSI entry requirements and the entry fee harmonization, were discussed by the same National Federations without taking into great consideration the athletes' points of view. For its part, the International Jumping Riders Club assures a critical but constructive engagement of a better definition of the FEI to promote a balanced and effective management of equestrian sport. For this reason, the IJRC this year analysed some critical points asking experts in sports policy, political issues as well as a lawyer to perform a comparative analysis with other International Federations. The aims were to find solutions and to re-establish balance and harmony in the international jumping world. An analyse was done to find out what happens in other Federations, regarding the athletes’ representative and voting system. The results of the analyse on 32 International Federation were: The most common practice in the athlete representation is to include the Chair of the Athletes’ Commission as a Member of one of the Federation’s executive bodies (Council, Executive Commission, Board of Directors, etc.). This is done by 21 out of 32 Federation (65.6%). Among these 21 Federations, there are of course different situations. To continue to work for the athletes, the IJRC is organizing its official meeting during the European Championship this August. Many important items on which the IJRC has been working a lot with over the past few months will be discussed, like: - CSI requirements; - Athletes representative's voting system; - Sanction and proportionality of the sanction with particular attention to the Blood Rules; - Risk of contamination during events and consequent opening of the doping procedure; - How to make Nations Cups more attractive; - New ranking points formula The last IJRC Assembly in Geneva was opened to journalists. The event was also broadcast through live streaming attracting 87,000 views. We hope that also in Gothenburg a lot of riders, a lot of National Federations’ Presidents and a good FEI representative will attend the IJRC Assembly because the Club is aware that the topics are complex and numerous, but it believes that a strong cooperation between Athletes, NFs, the FEI, organizers and media is the only way of avoiding serious problems in the future of our sport. -IJRC-
Since 1977 when the International Jumping Riders Club was founded, the Club has been recognized as the primary riders’ association in the world and represents the interests of all riders towards FEI and sports institutions. The IJRC believes that the positions of the athletes are the central and irreplaceable components of our sport, and must be taken into serious and careful consideration by the organs of the Federations. But this did not always happen, as for example when important subjects like the reduction of the number of riders admitted to the Olympics from four to three (per Federation), the idea to cancel the Table C competition at the World Equestrian Games, the CSI entry requirements and the entry fee harmonization, were discussed by the same National Federations without taking into great consideration the athletes' points of view. For its part, the International Jumping Riders Club assures a critical but constructive engagement of a better definition of the FEI to promote a balanced and effective management of equestrian sport. For this reason, the IJRC this year analysed some critical points asking experts in sports policy, political issues as well as a lawyer to perform a comparative analysis with other International Federations. The aims were to find solutions and to re-establish balance and harmony in the international jumping world. An analyse was done to find out what happens in other Federations, regarding the athletes’ representative and voting system. The results of the analyse on 32 International Federation were: The most common practice in the athlete representation is to include the Chair of the Athletes’ Commission as a Member of one of the Federation’s executive bodies (Council, Executive Commission, Board of Directors, etc.). This is done by 21 out of 32 Federation (65.6%). Among these 21 Federations, there are of course different situations. To continue to work for the athletes, the IJRC is organizing its official meeting during the European Championship this August. Many important items on which the IJRC has been working a lot with over the past few months will be discussed, like: - CSI requirements; - Athletes representative's voting system; - Sanction and proportionality of the sanction with particular attention to the Blood Rules; - Risk of contamination during events and consequent opening of the doping procedure; - How to make Nations Cups more attractive; - New ranking points formula The last IJRC Assembly in Geneva was opened to journalists. The event was also broadcast through live streaming attracting 87,000 views. We hope that also in Gothenburg a lot of riders, a lot of National Federations’ Presidents and a good FEI representative will attend the IJRC Assembly because the Club is aware that the topics are complex and numerous, but it believes that a strong cooperation between Athletes, NFs, the FEI, organizers and media is the only way of avoiding serious problems in the future of our sport. -IJRC-