A country that lost its Olympic dressage place after a different nation was unable to take up a team spot is fighting for its ticket to Paris 2024.
Chile won an individual dressage spot at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games by virtue of Svenja Grimm’s performance aboard Doctor Rossi at its home 2023 Pan American Games in October.
But the country has now been bumped from the spot.
Brazil, which secured an Olympic team dressage place with its silver medal at the Pan American Games, was unable to submit the National Olympic Committee (NOC) certificate of capability by the 5 January deadline (news, 18 January).
“Brazil was then entitled to one individual quota place instead and that quota place had to come from within FEI Olympic groups D&E (North America & Central and South America) as per the qualification system,” an FEI spokesperson told H&H.
“This resulted in the allocation of the four individual dressage slots assigned for Group D&E to Brazil, Ecuador, Dominican Republic and Venezuela.
“The Chilean NOC, national federation and the athlete (Ms Svenja Grimm) appealed the FEI decision not to allocate an individual quota place to Chile.
“The appellants and the FEI agreed to submit the appeal directly to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), with the appeal proceedings to be conducted on an expedited basis.
“The FEI is not in a position to make any additional comment [nor] provide any further information while the appeal proceedings are ongoing.”
The Chilean Olympic Committee and Chilean Equestrian Federation, issued a joint statement in March. They said that the FEI recently announced its decision to remove Chile from the individual quota place “that it had legitimately obtained […] through direct classification at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games, and which had even been officially announced and published by the FEI”.
“This decision – in our opinion – is not consistent with the rules and regulations of fair play and the principles of Olympic movement,” said the statement.
“Due to the above, unfortunately we have no choice but to object said decision, to be rectified and adjusted to what should be a correct and harmonious application of the current rules, respecting Chile’s right to have its individual quota for Paris 2024 duly recognised.
“We have kindly asked the FEI to reconsider its decision, as there are many arguments and precedents that support Chile’s position, in order to restore Chile to the individual quota.
“Notwithstanding, our country, if needed, will resort to all necessary international bodies to reverse this decision, which is clearly incorrect and unfair.”
Chile’s individual eventing place at this summer’s Games has also been reallocated, owing to the sad loss of a horse.
Despite veterinary treatment, Edén, an 11-year-old mare ridden by Jaime Bittner, died as a result of an internal infection.
A statement from the Chilean Olympic Committee said that this means Chile will be unable to use its individual Olympic eventing spot.
Both the Chilean Olympic Committee and equestrian federation shared their condolences to the rider on the loss of the mare.
The individual eventing place has been reallocated to Argentina, who will now have two riders in the eventing competition at Paris 2024.
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