BRITAIN APPEALS NATIONS CUP DEMOTION TO COURT OF ARBITRATION IN SPORT

By Melanie Huggett

The British Equestrian Federation (BEF) and British Showjumping (BSJ) have appealed to the Court of Arbitration in Sport (CAS) over the relegation of Team Great Britain from the top tier of the Nations Cup.

In September, 2009, the FEI announced that Great Britain, Belgium, and Italy would be relegated from the 2010 FEI Top Level Nations Cup. At that time, the BEF and BSJ appealed to the FEI Tribunal. However, the tribunal decided in December that they would not intervene in the September decision. Dismissing a further appeal in January, the BEF and BSJ now turn to the CAS to make the final decision.

Team Great Britain tied for eighth place with Belgium in the Nations Cup super league competition in 2009. At that time, the rules stated the top ten teams would go on to the top tier Nations Cup series. However, the FEI changed the rules in September, cutting the number of teams allowed to move on in competition.

The BEF and BSJ argue that under existing rules, Team Great Britain was declared eighth and should not have been relegated.