The long and pot-holed road to WEG 2018
Baca Juga
The World Equestrian Games has it all: drama, intrigue, disputation together with down-to-the-wire action.
We’re non talking hither nearly the activity inwards the principal arena, only the ongoing efforts to guide a host for the 2018 incarnation of the Games.
Last week, the FEI provided the latest update every bit the procedure for selecting a host urban substance entered the adjacent phase.
The casual observer could larn the impression that this whole procedure is looking similar something akin to prolonged labour. The midwife has already set inwards the telephone telephone to the obstetrician due to unforseen complications.
In June of finally year, the FEI announced that v bids had reached “Official Candidate” status: Rabat (Morocco), Bromont (Quebec, Canada); Budapest (Hungary); Vienna (Austria) together with Wellington (Florida, USA).
The FEI had received 8 expressions of involvement yesteryear Nov 2011, only Australian, Russian together with Swedish applications were withdrawn earlier the foremost of the official Candidate Phase inwards 2012.
An effusive FEI Secretary General Ingmar de Vos said: “It is fantastic to have got v actually strong bids for hosting the FEI World Equestrian Games inwards 2018 together with in that place could endure no improve endorsement of the FEI’s flagship event.
“The novel bidding procedure that nosotros set inwards identify finally twelvemonth for the FEI World Equestrian Games has generated a huge total of involvement together with nosotros right away await forrard to welcoming the 2018 bidders to FEI Headquarters adjacent month.”
Exciting times.
Then, less than 2 weeks later, Republic of Hungary was gone.
The president of the Hungarian National Federation Vilmos Lázár confirmed inwards a alphabetic quality to the FEI that the bid was withdrawn because in that place were 2 candidates from the same region, alongside neighboring Republic of Austria also inwards the running.
The Hungarian federation’s board hoped that its withdrawal would heighten Austria’s chances.
“Of course of education nosotros are deplorable to lose the Hungarian bid for 2018,” de Vos said, “but nosotros abide by the national federation’s determination together with admire its generous back upwards of the neighboring bid from Austria.”
He continued: “We notwithstanding have got 4 real strong candidates inwards the mix together with it volition endure a real exciting bidding process. We real much await forrard to welcoming them all to FEI Headquarters adjacent month.”
Then, the next month, Wellington, Florida, withdrew.
Equestrian Sport Productions, the society that had set together the United States of America bid, told the FEI that it was officially withdrawing due to a alter inwards local government.
Plans for the Games inwards Florida revolved to a greater extent than or less the edifice of a commercial equestrian complex, only local authorities councillors were worried over whether the town had the infrastructure to back upwards such a major facility.
De Vos remained chipper. “We are sorry Wellington volition non endure pursuing their bid, only nosotros have got 3 other candidates that have got all set inwards real strong bids for 2018, together with then in that place is notwithstanding enough of excitement nearly the bidding process, together with that excitement volition for sure endure increased when the bid teams come upwards to FEI HQ this week.”
In Oct finally year, Kingdom of Morocco pulled out, sparked yesteryear the expiry of Princess Lalla Amina, who died inwards August. She had been president of the Fédération Royale Marocaine des Sports Equestres since 1999.
“The deplorable passing of HRH Princess Lalla Amina has meant that the Moroccans have got lost the driving forcefulness behind their bid to stage the FEI World Equestrian Games inwards 2018,” de Vos explained.
“We have got 2 strong bids from Canada together with Republic of Austria for 2018,” he added.
Then, inwards Jan this year, Republic of Austria pulled out.
“It is of course of education disappointing to have got lost Vienna every bit ane of our bid cities for the FEI World Equestrian Games inwards 2018,” de Vos said, “but nosotros are real much looking forrard to seeing the presentation from Bromont when the Canadians come upwards to FEI Headquarters inwards Lausanne …”
Bromont, Canada, was right away the finally urban substance standing inwards what had ultimately larn a state of war of attrition.
Its representatives traveled to FEI headquarters inwards Feb to give their presentation.
The Bromont bid commission outlined its plans to role the Montreal 1976 Olympic Stadium for the opening ceremony, together with the Bromont Equestrian Park, which staged the equestrian events inwards the 1976 Olympics, was offered every bit the proposed venue for all vii disciplines.
“We’ve had an extremely constructive together with positive coming together alongside the FEI today together with it’s provided a adept chance for us to introduce together with explicate our bid to the FEI team,” an upbeat bid commission president, Paul Côté, said.
“They gave us an first-class presentation,” de Vos said, adding that the FEI squad was going to endure evaluating all the elements together with putting together a detailed study for the finally decision-making process.
Then, inwards July, the tidings broke that the FEI was reopening bidding.
The FEI Bureau, which had the finally decision, decided against the bid because the Canadian delegation was unable to supply the total populace sector fiscal back upwards required.
FEI president Princess Haya said the bid was impressive, together with the determination non to honour Bromont the Games was hugely disappointing.
“But, unfortunately, without the necessary fiscal support, the FEI together with the organisers would endure exposed to an unacceptable fiscal risk.”
The bureau expressed its wishing that Bromont stay inwards the mix alongside the bidding procedure reopened, alongside prospective hosts given until September xxx – 3 months – to register their interest.
Now, alongside the chess board looking rather bare, nosotros have got 2 novel players potentially inwards the mix.
Britain is inwards the frame, only has non yet proposed a host city, together with the the States could also host the event, alongside Lexington, Kentucky – the hosts of WEG inwards 2010 – together with Wellington, Florida, which originally had a bid only withdrew, ane time to a greater extent than a possibility.
Great United Kingdom of Great Britain together with Northern Ireland volition have got to confirm its proposed host urban substance alongside the FEI earlier a Nov fifteen deadline for receipt of Bid Applicant Questionnaires, which volition endure reviewed yesteryear the Evaluation Commission at FEI Headquarters earlier the candidates are announced on Dec 2.
This is exhausting stuff.
The World Equestrian Games is a huge event, together with it is stating the obvious to enjoin that, every bit a showcase effect on the global stage, everything has been done right.
Yes, bad luck has played a part: the expiry of a fellow member of Morocco’s majestic identify unit of measurement scuttled that bid, together with Wellington ran into troubles over local politics. Republic of Hungary did the neighborly affair inwards trying to assist out Austria’s bid.
One has to promise that this procedure isn’t every bit good hard; that the endeavor inwards staging the Games doesn’t set off hereafter contenders.
The nail-biting activity is best left to the competitors, non the administrators.
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