IJRC expresses his point of view about the CAS decision reducing to two months the original bans for Saudi Riders

The IJRC expresses his point of view about the CAS decision reducing to two months the original bans for Abdullah Waleed Al Sharbatly and Khaled Abdulaziz Al Eid tested positive to the Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, Phenybutazone and Oxyphenbutazone at two separate events in 2011 and 2012.

With surprise the IJRC takes note of CAS’s Sole Arbitrator decisions concerning the cases mentioned, that diverge significantly from previous decisions about similar cases that have had different handling and severe penalties.

Furthermore it also diverges from the FEI Tribunal’s decision.

We expect that the CAS notifies the reasons for this arbitration award within the same period of time as this decision was taken by the Sole Arbitrator.

Following these decisions, we hope that in the future CAS will make sure to use an equitable and uniform measure, ensuring the principle of equal treatment for all riders.

This is primary for the credibility of the CAS, which has a big responsibility to manage in an uniform and balanced way all cases presented . The Court should act with care and precision especially at a moment like this, when FEI is doing a big effort with the Clean Sport project, that has to be a reference point for the Equestrian World.

We hope that this fast procedure will be systematically adopted so as not to have to wait months before receiving a hearing, as was the case in the past.
Rapid response times and same treatment for everybody is essential for the credibility of our sport and of the judicial bodies.