FEI plans nationality rules review

THE International Equestrian Federation (FEI) is to review its policy on riders changing nationality after a Ukrainian team made up of two former Dutch and two former German show jumpers placed fourth in the recent World Equestrian Games in Germany.

The Ukraine team’s performance denied Ireland a place at the Beijing Olympics, with the latter placing sixth and missing out on one of the five qualifying spots on offer.

The change of nationality by Belgian’s Jean-Claude van Geenberghe and Gregory Wathelet along with Germany’s Björn Nagel and Katharina Offel in the last year was perfectly legitimate under FEI rules. They were persuaded to switch by Ukrainian gas magnate Alexander Onyshchenko and were granted Ukrainian citizenship and passports.