EFI playing hardball with SJAI

THE Equestrian Federation of Ireland (EFI) could impose further sanctions on the Show Jumping Association of Ireland (SJAI) if it refuses to agree to the demands of a document presented to the SJAI last Friday.

Among the options open to the EFI is suspension of the SJAI as an affiliate, along with encouraging international riders to bypass the show jumping body and register with it instead.

At present, the EFI will not give a rider a licence to jump abroad unless he/she is first registered with the SJAI. The EFI could waive that requirement. It refused to comment yesterday, but whether it would go so far as insisting riders switch is open to debate. Insistence could be contrived as using the riders as pawns in its bid to rein in the SJAI. But, by offering the option of registering with the EFI, the federation would at least counter the argument it is denying riders the ability to make a living.