Accusations groundless, says Aussie equestrian boss

Paul Cargill

The chairman of Equestrian Commonwealth of Australia has backed the country’s Olympic selectors in addition to riders next a spat over selections.

Paul Cargill said the fact that, for only the instant time, Commonwealth of Australia has selected total teams inwards each of the 3 Olympic disciplines was drive for celebration.

“Unfortunately, recent pick announcements induce got been met alongside disappointment past times some members that induce got resulted inwards attacks against private competitors in addition to their families, every bit good every bit selectors.”

The number stems from an appeal past times rider Hayley Beresford over non beingness selected to the country’s dressage squad for 2012.  She took her grievance to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) inwards Switzerland, but lost her appeal before this week. An before independent Appeals Tribunal also dismissed an appeal past times Beresford.

Riders selected to the 2012 squad for Commonwealth of Australia are Mary Hanna, in addition to cousins Lyndal Oatley in addition to Kristy Oatley.

Cargill called on the Australian Equus caballus community to rally behind the Olympic squad inwards their pursuit of success inwards London, describing accusations some the dressage squad pick every bit groundless.

“As chairman of Equestrian Australia, I desire to permit y'all know that the EA Board fully supports our selectors in addition to our riders who induce got been chosen, every bit good every bit their families in addition to owners who furnish unconditional back upward on their journey.”

Cargill said selectors had worked for a long fourth dimension to pick out a squad that they believe would aid Commonwealth of Australia accomplish its best possible upshot inwards London.

“To advise otherwise is unfounded,” he said.

“Each 1 of us is entitled to our ain stance on selections, but, whatever our personal views on our teams, nosotros must lay them aside in addition to live on proud of the incredible achievements of our selected riders whether they alive inwards Commonwealth of Australia or abroad.

“With regards to dressage pick inwards particular, I over again absolutely refute all the groundless accusations that induce got late been levelled against the dressage selectors, squad management, private riders in addition to their families, every bit good every bit EA’s ain Board in addition to management, in addition to when the Court of Arbitration for Sport publically releases its reasons for dismissing the appeal, nosotros volition live on able to utter over the accusations farther in addition to demonstrate that they are non true.”

Cargill provided the next summary of  “the facts every bit they stand”:

• At no phase either before the independent Equestrian Commonwealth of Australia Appeal Tribunal (Appeals Tribunal) or inwards the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) was it suggested that the Dressage Selection Panel was biased against the appellant.
• The Appeals Tribunal rejected the proffer that the Dressage Selection Panel had non properly exercised its discretion inwards applying the Dressage Nomination Criteria. The Nomination Criteria include many dissimilar factors that the Selection Panel is to consider, in addition to in that place is no requirement that their determination live on based upon FEI rankings alone. In addition, the Nomination Criteria expressly furnish for greater weight to live on given to performances inwards the menses from March 2012 until the appointment of selection, non simply surgical physical care for at the nomination events.
• The Appeals Tribunal truly constitute that the Dressage Selection Panel had properly applied the Nomination Criteria, had properly considered all of the factors relevant to the practise of the Selection Panel’s judgment every bit to who should live on included inwards the Dressage Team, in addition to that in that place was no footing for interfering inwards the Selection Panel’s decision. Hayley Beresford made an application to CAS to appeal the determination of the Appeals Tribunal. This application was dismissed past times CAS.
• The proffer that 1 athlete was given preferential handling over some other is wrong. The Equestrian Commonwealth of Australia Olympic Nomination Criteria clearly affords all combinations the chance to live on excused from compliance alongside the requirements of competing inwards the Nomination Events inwards ‘extenuating circumstances’. Upon her Equus caballus falling ill, Kristy Oatley sought an exemption nether the ‘extenuating circumstances’ provision from compliance alongside the requirement for competing inwards the First Nomination Event held at Mannheim. At no fourth dimension did Hayley Beresford brand a asking nether the ‘extenuating circumstances’ provisions.
• The fact that an amendment was made to the Equestrian Commonwealth of Australia Nomination Criteria was duly publicised in addition to known past times the athletes in addition to whatever proffer that this was non the illustration is without foundation. This amendment was necessitated past times the organising committees of the ii Nomination Events limiting the number of entries a item province could submit in addition to all athletes received communication in addition to correspondence from Equestrian Commonwealth of Australia inwards abide by of the amendment.
• The overarching objective of the nomination criteria was (as has ever been) to nominate Equus caballus in addition to athlete combinations that the Dressage Selection Panel believes volition accomplish the best possible final result at the 2012 Olympic Games. Accordingly, to ensure athletes participating inwards the Nomination Events were given maximum chance to arrive at selection, the criteria were amended to allow those riders whose nominated Equus caballus did non compete inwards the Nomination Events due to affliction but who had a instant horse, the adventure to live on considered for pick alongside that instant Equus caballus (providing it had achieved its Minimum Eligibility Standard (MES)). This amendment advantaged all riders, including Hayley Beresford, if they chose to accept wages of it every bit it provided them alongside additional opportunities to live on selected.
• Dressage’s ‘shadow team’ (which is inwards house to encounter in addition to satisfy the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) requirements nether the AOC Olympic Team Selection By-Law in addition to is a mandatory requirement for nomination to the Commonwealth of Australia Olympic Team) is made upward of all thirteen riders who were listed on Equestrian Australia’s Elite in addition to Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 squads. The Appeals Tribunal constitute that the By-Laws create non specify a deadline for inclusion inwards the shadow team, a seat that was confirmed past times the AOC.

Cargill continued: “My promise right away is that our Dressage Team – both every bit a grouping in addition to every bit individuals – stays potent in addition to pulls through this in addition to goes into the Olympic Village every bit proud members of the 2012 Australian Olympic Team.

“I promise that they volition conduct accolade to themselves in addition to brand EA proud. And I am certain that when it comes to it, thence create you.

“It is also my promise that nosotros accomplish the success that all our Australian equestrian athletes, owners, management, officials in addition to selectors all strive for.

“I wishing the Olympic in addition to the Paralympic Teams good in addition to promise that they create their best in addition to plow over it their all. That is all nosotros tin ask, in addition to if that brings us habitation medals then, of course of pedagogy nosotros volition live on extremely pleased.

To those athletes that induce got worked thence difficult over the past times years to larn selected, but induce got missed out on their dream this fourth dimension around, I sincerely promise that they volition larn some other adventure – both Normandy in addition to Rio are near.

“They are to live on congratulated for their efforts inwards getting thence unopen to achieving their dream, in addition to they should live on proud that their efforts induce got driven others to accomplish ameliorate in addition to ameliorate outcomes.

“I would also similar to applaud our band of selectors across all disciplines, every bit good every bit squad management in addition to officials.

“Behind all our riders are their owners in addition to families. They are ever inwards the background but without them nosotros don’t larn horses or riders on the ground. If their combination has been selected, all congratulations to them in addition to I promise that they revel inwards their combination’s performance. For those who missed out this fourth dimension round, stick alongside it for every bit I induce got said earlier, Normandy in addition to Rio are near.

“Finally permit me enjoin this to the whole equestrian community. We are inwards this together for 1 role – our dearest of horses or our dearest of our sport. We desire to reckon our riders in addition to their horses create their best for themselves in addition to for us at London, in addition to it is right away fourth dimension for us to plow over them that chance.

“With the pick in addition to appeals processes right away over in addition to behind us, nosotros demand to permit become of our misgivings in addition to disappointments over the selections. Let’s rally behind those that are selected in addition to plow over them our total support. That is what nosotros every bit Australians create best, in addition to I am certain our athletes volition response in addition to plow over us their all.”

 

 

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