International showjumper, Gerfried Puck, who won bronze with Team Austria at the 2023 European Championships in Milan, has made a bold move: he has applied for a change of (sportive) nationality and is leaving the Austrian equestrian federation (OEPS).
According to the OEPS, Puck no longer wishes to comply with the national qualification rules required for international competitions. “He has made it clear that he does not accept these regulations and is therefore seeking a change in sporting affiliation,” the federation said. The 52-year-old also declined an invitation for further discussion regarding his written list of demands.
Although Puck hasn’t officially announced which nation he will represent next, he recently told the Austrian magazine Pferderevue that his primary residence has been in Dubai for some time. It is widely expected that he will soon compete for the United Arab Emirates, whose team has been coached by Britain’s William Funnell since the Paris Olympic Games.
