In a petition to be presented at the FEI General assembly, the effort is underway to change what is said to be not only an antiquated rule, but most likely not legal.

The petition supports fully the request to the FEI to immediately delete the mandatory retirement age limit for all FEI Judges. It should be noted that the retirement rule (implemented by FEI some 30 years ago, proposed by Mr Wolfgang Niggli then Chairman of the FEI Dressage Committee!) targets only Judges. 

Stewards, Course Designers, Technical Delegates etc are not mentioned, yet some disciplines have imposed this mandatory retirement on their Officials beyond only the judges. 

This in itself would raise the possibility of litigation. 

The entire rule as written is, as clearly stated at the 2016 FEI Sport Forum in Switzerland by Mr. Mark Samuel, Chairman of the FEI Working Officials Group, 1st Vice President FEI, “The writing is on the wall. This retirement rule is clearly illegal.”  In many countries mandatory retirement age is now illegal and the United Nations considers this rule not only to be illegal but against human rights. The current FEI rule is antiquated, illegal, against human rights and does not accurately reflect today’s generation’s mental and physical capabilities.

In the 2018 FEI General Regulations is written:  Appendix F-FEI CODE OF ETHICS, A. Dignity 

#1. Safeguarding the dignity of the equine and human Athlete is a fundamental requirement of equestrianism. 

#2. There shall be no discrimination between the human Athletes on the basis of race, gender, ethnic origin, religion, philosophical or political opinion, marital status or other grounds”  What about the safeguarding of the Dignity of the judges and other FEI Officials?
The FEI had tasked their Officials Working Group to review and present recommendations. One of these concerned the mandatory retirement rule. The Group stated a job description for ALL FEI Officials should be drawn up and against which an individual’s competency could be compared. The Recommendation “

#3: Develop a competency based evaluation system with the goal of replacing the age limit.” We understand all job descriptions are now complete and reviewed for Bureau acceptance. Therefore the current mandatory retirement rule is redundant and should be removed immediately, to halt the disgraceful dismissal and loss of knowledge, experience, wisdom and mentorship for the younger upcoming judges and officials.

Respectfully Submitted:

NF:____________________________________ Date:_______________________________

Signed:___________________________________________________________________
By either President or Secretary General.

FEI Rider or Owner:_______________________________________Date:___________________