International law firm Pinsent Masons has won 4* event rider Alexander Peternell the legal right to represent South Africa in the London 2012 Olympic Games.

In an extraordinary process, Alex’s place on Team South Africa was confirmed late last night, hours before the Olympic eventing competition process began. The hearing was the first case to be heard under the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Ad Hoc procedure for the London 2012 Olympics.

At a first hearing last Friday, CAS overturned the decisions of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and the South African Equestrian Federation (SAEF) to deny the event rider his right to compete in the equestrian eventing category.

CAS, chaired by President Stuart McInnes, upheld Alex’s claim that he satisfied SASCOC and SAEF eligibility criteria and that under the selection policy for the South African Eventing Team and the 2012 Olympic Games he should be selected to represent South Africa (rather than Paul Hart, the nominated rider). Alex was then forced to make a second hearing before CAS in Switzerland.

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