lucretia
Well-Known Member
the following is copied from the FEI web site
<font color="blue"> John Whitaker (GBR) withdrew from the first round of the team competition - Jumping held on Sunday, 17 August 2008.
The Ground Jury met this morning (Monday 18 August 2008) at 11am and further to a request by the GBR team, decided in favour of allowing John Whitaker to compete in the second round.
All teams were immediately informed of the Ground Jurys decision.
Subsequently and within the allowed timescale, seven of the nine teams competing lodged a protest to the Ground Jury.
The Ground Jury considered the protest and upheld its earlier decision at 3 pm this afternoon.
In accordance with the rules and following due process, the seven teams formally launched an appeal to the Appeal Committee.
The Appeal Committee met and their decision is given above.
Article 264.4 of the FEI Rules for Jumping Events (Nations Cup) is set out below:
4.1. A full Nations Cup team comprises four competitors each riding the same horse throughout the competition. All members of each team must take part in the first round, except as stated in paragraph 4.2 below and in paragraph 7.2.
4.2. If a team, comprising four competitors, cannot improve its placing in the first or second round after its third competitor has completed his course, the fourth competitor may be withdrawn.
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my personal opinion is that the ground jury acted as they did initially out of a sporting attitiude. while credit should be given to them for that, one might supppose they were not unaware of either the rule above which is quite clear and obviously common knowlege amongst the other teams who were never going to allow such a breach in an olympic competition.
also note that according to this sequence of events either they have neatly sidestepped the issue or Team GBR were NOT told PRIOR to withdrawing in the first team round that JW would still be eligble to compete in subsequent round (s), the ground jury met to consider this AFTER a request from Team GB.
<font color="blue"> John Whitaker (GBR) withdrew from the first round of the team competition - Jumping held on Sunday, 17 August 2008.
The Ground Jury met this morning (Monday 18 August 2008) at 11am and further to a request by the GBR team, decided in favour of allowing John Whitaker to compete in the second round.
All teams were immediately informed of the Ground Jurys decision.
Subsequently and within the allowed timescale, seven of the nine teams competing lodged a protest to the Ground Jury.
The Ground Jury considered the protest and upheld its earlier decision at 3 pm this afternoon.
In accordance with the rules and following due process, the seven teams formally launched an appeal to the Appeal Committee.
The Appeal Committee met and their decision is given above.
Article 264.4 of the FEI Rules for Jumping Events (Nations Cup) is set out below:
4.1. A full Nations Cup team comprises four competitors each riding the same horse throughout the competition. All members of each team must take part in the first round, except as stated in paragraph 4.2 below and in paragraph 7.2.
4.2. If a team, comprising four competitors, cannot improve its placing in the first or second round after its third competitor has completed his course, the fourth competitor may be withdrawn.
</font>
my personal opinion is that the ground jury acted as they did initially out of a sporting attitiude. while credit should be given to them for that, one might supppose they were not unaware of either the rule above which is quite clear and obviously common knowlege amongst the other teams who were never going to allow such a breach in an olympic competition.
also note that according to this sequence of events either they have neatly sidestepped the issue or Team GBR were NOT told PRIOR to withdrawing in the first team round that JW would still be eligble to compete in subsequent round (s), the ground jury met to consider this AFTER a request from Team GB.
