Lausanne (SUI), 22 March 2016 – Following a thorough investigation into results from the three-star Dressage event at Lier (BEL), the FEI has found evidence of nationalistic judging in favour of a Ukrainian athlete, Inna Logutenkova, by two Ukrainian judges in the Grand Prix Special test on 2 March 2016.

As a result, the FEI Dressage Committee, with the full support of the FEI Executive Board, has ruled that the results from the CDI3* Grand Prix Special will not count towards the Olympic and World Rankings.

In addition, the FEI Executive Board has agreed that it will recommend to the FEI Bureau support of the Dressage Committee in reviewing the judging by establishing a working group composed of Committee members and external experts who will look into and supply proposals to address these matters.

“This was a clear example of nationalistic judging and the FEI takes this very seriously,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said. “The FEI has a duty to take the appropriate measures if it is shown that nationalistic judging has occurred.

“Judging at all FEI events must be absolutely fair and the integrity of the competitions and of the judges themselves must be beyond reproach.”

As a result of the removal of the Lier Grand Prix Special results, the final allocation of quota places for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games has now been completed. Confirmed Olympic qualifications are available here.

The FEI Dressage Committee based its decision on the Fairness Principle as outlined in the FEI Olympic and World Ranking Rules for Dressage here.

FEI Media contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Grania Willis
Director Press Relations
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 787 506 142