The hi-tech, high-stakes race for endurance gold
Baca Juga
The endurance race to create upward one's take heed the the world champion at WEG is certain to hold out most scrutinised event in the sport’s history. Welfare concerns arising from the Middle East drove reforms which are directly inward house for the Games, but volition they acquire far plenty to rein inward excesses inward the sport? We talk with FEI 1st vice-president John McEwen nigh the issues facing endurance, the fallout from Compiègne, in addition to the prospects for WEG.
High-definition video cameras, tamper-proof GPS devices, an approved heart-rate system, in addition to a specialist timing system. Such hi-tech gear sounds to a greater extent than similar the domain of Q, James Bond’s famed gadgetry specialist.
Welcome, instead, to the pinnacle of the world endurance, where a raft of surveillance measures in addition to advanced monitoring protocols agency piffling volition escape officials.
There volition hold out 24/7 video surveillance of the stables. Cameras volition also monitor the cooling surface area in addition to repose areas, non to bring upward the entire vetting area. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 novel FEI vet gate timing arrangement volition mail horses to vet lanes inward strict social club of arrival time, automatically diverting horses away from their ain nation’s veterinary officials.
The world’s elite endurance riders volition laid off at 6am on August 28 from the French town of Sartilly to compete inward the six-loop 160km race some the Bay of Mont St Michel.
The picturesque bay volition render the perfect backdrop to a race over a class that has been described as demanding in addition to somewhat technical, with many changes inward footing.
The sport of endurance itself has faced a somewhat demanding in addition to technical class itself inward the terminal eighteen months. The FEI was spurred into activity yesteryear several European federations which voiced concerns nigh welfare issues inward the sport inward several Group VII nations.
The physical care for has delivered stricter rules inward fourth dimension for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, but inward the meantime the sport endured a serial of social media storms over several transgressions, culminating inward a jaw-dropping account of a CEI endurance trial inward Compiègne, France, inward May. Five veterinarians at the trial penned an opened upward letter.
Their concern human relationship painted a motion painting that seemed to force together every concern nigh the sport since the endurance arguing outset blew up, the vets noting: “Our analysis of the reasons for this province of affairs is that electrical flow practices of endurance inward some Group VII countries is really far removed from the master copy spirit of our sport.”
So, the endurance roadshow heads for Sartilly non just inward adept heart, but with a stricter laid of rules, unparalleled levels of video surveillance, in addition to a salubrious number of officials on the dry ground to ensure the novel regulations are enforced in addition to the race is fought on the much-vaunted bird playing field.
Will it work?
FEI outset vice-president John McEwen, a veterinarian, is confident it will. McEwen has been responsible for endurance since June, when the FEI Bureau assigned him the task after FEI president Princess Haya sought to a greater extent than formal recognition of her previously stated potential conflict of interest.
“The construction of the trial at Compiègne was really different to what volition hold out inward house inward Sartilly,” McEwen says. “I’m confident that the measures position inward house for the Games volition ensure condom in addition to fair sport inward Normandy.”
McEwen believes the dominion changes volition receive got a large impact on endurance, in addition to improved information gathering volition render the evidence to inform whatever hereafter decision-making.
So, what does McEwen brand of some of the concerns voiced yesteryear the endurance community as the arguing has rolled on? For one, some are concerned that higher speeds are leading to higher rates of catastrophic injury.
“Speed is patently ane of the factors inward the equation, but it is exclusively ane of many factors that may influence injury rates,” he says. “We demand to a greater extent than evidence.”
That evidence, he says, volition come upward through inward the Global Endurance Injuries Study (GEIS), laid upward yesteryear Dr Tim Parkin, of Glasgow University. It volition render a much to a greater extent than consistent approach to statistics that the FEI has non had before.
“Very many factors are involved apart from speed, for instance weather, rail conditions, grooming regimes in addition to levels of veterinary support, in addition to all of these tin behaviour upon injury rates.
“It is really unlikely that at that topographic point volition hold out ane unmarried cause.”
Does he think at that topographic point is greater potential for injuries if race times continued to acquire faster? “I firmly believe that the August 1 dominion changes volition receive got a large impact, peculiarly directly that at that topographic point are penalties for riders that receive got a history of problems with their horses getting injured.”
Social media has been awash with criticism of the to a greater extent than aggressive shape of desert racing seemingly favoured inward the Middle East. These were the really sort of races that gave rising to such fierce criticism from several European federations.
McEwen stresses that the Endurance Strategy Planning Group, appointed to drive the reforms, looked at endurance as a whole in addition to its recommendations were aimed at ensuring a playing acre that accommodates all forms of the sport.
He believes that is achievable through the enforcement of the novel rules.
Criticism has also been levelled at officials in addition to competitors inward the Group VII region, with accusations some receive got been likewise relaxed inward their application of the FEI’s rules.
McEwen says the FEI has ever been clear inward its expectation that all its officials volition apply the rules inward a professional person in addition to non-biased way. “And, of course, nosotros also hold off our athletes to adhere to the rules.
“The FEI volition ever take activity against transgressors, whether they hold out athletes or officials, when failures are reported to us via the right in addition to required channels.”
He notes that endurance has some of the highest levels of veterinary supervision of whatever equestrian sport.
There receive got been ongoing discussions with many national federations, including inward Group VII, as the sport has evolved, he adds.
“The functioning of our officials is monitored inward a bid to obtain a professional person in addition to harmonised criterion across the board.”
The harshest criticism of Group VII was reserved for the bird of fracture rates in addition to doping infractions, with at to the lowest degree ane national federation talking of a potential breakaway grouping until at that topographic point was action. Many endurance followers considered these issues were symptomatic of a scant regard yesteryear some to Equus caballus welfare.
“The figures present that at that topographic point was a higher bird inward this portion some years ago,” says McEwen, “but at that topographic point has been a reduction inward the number of positive cases inward Group VII compared with other groups.” He attributes the drib to the FEI’s Clean Sport campaign, introduced inward 2010.
“Group VII sampling levels receive got traditionally been some of the highest levels inward our sport,” he notes.
“In the past, the existent facts receive got been lost alongside the rumours inward price of the number of fractures existence reported.”
It is directly mandatory that accurate in addition to consummate information on injuries come upward dorsum to the FEI via GEIS – Dr Parkin’s study – which he says is providing a far clearer picture. In the future, it volition allow a scientific assessment of take chances factors.
He says the FEI Veterinary Committee in addition to Department receive got been working for some fourth dimension with Professor Yves Rossier, from the University of Montreal, in addition to Dr Parkin to create an all-encompassing Injury Reporting arrangement for all disciplines. This was successfully rolled out with the GEIS.
“There volition ever hold out those who position competitive success ahead of the welfare of the horse,” he acknowledges, “but clearly this is never acceptable.
“The outset regulation inward the FEI Code of Conduct for the Welfare of the Horse is that ‘welfare of the Equus caballus must never hold out subordinated to competitive or commercial influences’.”
He does non take hold with criticism that the stair of alter inward bringing inward endurance reforms has been likewise slow.
“While I tin reckon that may hold out the perception externally, I don’t experience this is a fair comment. It must hold out remembered that wide-ranging dominion changes inward this dependent area receive got been made inward 2005, 2009, 2013, 2014, in addition to farther changes volition hold out introduced as required inward the future.
“Some of the ground-breaking dominion changes that receive got been introduced into endurance over the years include mandatory repose periods, multi-veterinary exams throughout a contest – to a greater extent than than whatever other dependent area – and, most recently, the introduction of athlete penalization points direct linked to injuries.
“We receive got increased sampling levels for prohibited substances really substantially over the terminal few years in addition to the yesteryear veterinary back upward systems in addition to regulations receive got been continually upgraded twelvemonth on year, in addition to then at that topographic point has been continual reform, non just inward endurance but across all our disciplines.”
So, is at that topographic point non a take chances that tougher rules volition hateful the Middle East may but take to run to a greater extent than races exterior the auspices of the FEI?
“This, of course, is their choice. However, the events volition nevertheless hold out run nether the auspices of the relevant national federation, in addition to that national federation, existence a fellow member of the FEI in addition to a signatory to our regulations, has the responsibleness to maintain the FEI’s declared opinion on welfare.”
He acknowledges some concern was voiced during the reform physical care for that dominion changes would add together a burden to nations that did non receive got a welfare number inward the outset place.
McEwen said he was gratified yesteryear the overwhelming back upward from national federations at the 2014 Sports Forum when the proposed dominion changes were presented.
“Clearly, federations were aware that some of these novel regulations would impact the sport inward their ain country, but this did non behaviour upon their back upward for the changes.
“There is a recognition that the sport has evolved in addition to volition proceed to evolve over the years to come, in addition to that all national federations demand to endorse the approach that is needed to ensure a condom in addition to fair sport.
“I experience that the changes volition make goodness the sport worldwide in addition to laid upward an splendid platform for all for the future.”
But for sure the take chances remains that the Middle East volition hold out unable to reconcile the novel rules, with its pretty clear preference for a to a greater extent than aggressive vogue of desert racing?
McEwen recounts how ESPG chairman Andrew Finding spoke of the “vision in addition to laid of values that nosotros hold off everyone to adhere to if they truly desire to hold out an active piece of work of our family”. Finding, he notes, was uncompromising, adding: “Those who make non should hold out asked to acquire out us.”
“I fully back upward that viewpoint. It is the responsibleness of all national federations to back upward the most recent dominion changes, which are clearly designed to address the issues that the sport has been facing.”
What of the tendency toward “jockey-style” riders inward endurance? Is it but a natural progression inward the sport, or is it against the key principles of endurance?
The nowadays rules, he says, allow athletes in addition to horses to come upward together to compete inward private competitions, provided the athlete in addition to the Equus caballus are individually qualified to participate through the star-rating system.
“It is exclusively at entitle bird where combination qualification is required, unless the athlete has elite status, which requires the successful completion of 10 CEI 160km competitions, in addition to of class the Equus caballus must nevertheless come across entitle qualification criteria.”
One of the major attractions of the dependent area is that it is a household unit of measurement sport, he says, in addition to several members of ane household unit of measurement could compete at different events on the ane horse.
“I believe the nowadays star-rating requirement for athletes in addition to horses industrial plant well.”
So, how does he experience the novel rules of endurance would receive got coped with the province of affairs described yesteryear the Compiègne veterinarians?
McEwen says the novel rules come inward clear to all involved – athletes, grooms, trainers or officials – that sanctions volition hold out applied if the sport’s rules are non strictly respected.
He says he saw the motion painting of the “thin horse” that caused major arguing inward the weeks following Compiègne.
“I did notice the images of the Equus caballus concerning, as they appeared to present an extremely sparse horse,” he says.
“But the Equus caballus was checked on 3 separate occasions yesteryear senior 4* veterinarians in addition to further, blood samples taken later the Equus caballus was removed from the contest due to lameness indicated that, metabolically, the Equus caballus was inward adept shape.
“However … nosotros are reviewing how assessments of what is ‘too thin’ are made.
“From a metabolic dot of view, existence overweight is in all probability to a greater extent than of a welfare number than existence underweight. It’s a complex issue.”
Ironically, the “thin horse” was nigh the exclusively number non raised yesteryear the 5 veterinary who spelt out their concerns.
McEwen says concerns arising from Compiègne had been flagged earlier the vets penned their opened upward letter. The FEI’s depression profile as the fuss some the sparse Equus caballus in addition to the vet’s missive of the alphabet reached a crescendo amounted to FEI policy.
“Immediately next Compiègne, in addition to earlier the opened upward missive of the alphabet was issued yesteryear the vets, the FEI had position inward house a detailed review physical care for of the trial to seat the employment areas that arose inward Compiègne,” he explains.
“The FEI’s established policy is to await the conclusion of such a review physical care for to ensure nosotros are inward possession of clear facts in addition to details earlier nosotros take whatever position.”
So what issues were flagged? There were, he said, several shortcomings, but these should hold out corrected yesteryear officials inward future.
“The trial went ahead despite the large number of additional belatedly entries existence accepted yesteryear the organiser without a corresponding increment inward the number of officials in addition to treating vets as required yesteryear the FEI Regulations.
“The findings inward the review also highlighted that handling facilities must hold out closed to the vet gate itself in addition to fully prepared for exercise at all times.”
The FEI, inward low-cal of these findings, volition directly expression at the regulations inward price of a strict limitation on overall entry numbers at events. He says it volition also expression at restricting the number of competitions private FEI officials are allowed to piece of work on at whatever ane event.
The FEI is also reviewing its reporting procedures at events to ensure the information it requires is handled correctly in addition to through the right channels inward a timely manner.
Lessons learnt at Compiègne volition hold out introduced into the courses for all endurance officials, he says.
Concerns aired yesteryear the Compiègne vets followed 2 key threads, related to either welfare or issues of sportsmanship.
Welfare issues included horses existence ridden at high speeds on hard in addition to fast trails, in addition to likewise many metabolic eliminations – horses presenting with high middle rates in addition to advanced dehydration.
“It should hold out remembered that Compiègne took house prior to the novel rules coming into effect,” McEwen says. For ane thing, the novel rules receive got extended the repose periods for metabolic horses.
“The combination of the novel rules, together with the learnings from the Compiègne review, volition hateful that hereafter events volition hold out ameliorate placed to bargain with such issues.”
The vets asserted that the security of competing horses cannot hold out guaranteed whatever to a greater extent than nether the circumstances they described.
“There has never been a guarantee of safety,” McEwen says, “and as a vet I am all likewise aware that equine sport ever carries a take chances of injury.”
He says it is perfectly possible to maintain that take chances to acceptably depression levels with a high criterion of veterinary assessment in addition to monitoring.
“However, the novel penalization dot arrangement in addition to extended repose periods for horses volition underline the demand for athletes to take ameliorate care.
“But, as I receive got said previously in addition to volition proceed to say, the welfare of the Equus caballus is non just a veterinary issue; it’s an number for all those who piece of work inward the sport.”
The FEI, he says, has consistently stressed the absolute necessity for athletes to take responsibleness for the management of their horses during competition, in addition to the novel rules ensure at that topographic point are consequences for a possible failure of that management.
The vets described horses existence position inward grave danger yesteryear what they considered to hold out unethical in addition to unsportsmanlike practices. McEwen says the FEI deals with whatever reported unethical practices through its judicial system.
The Compiègne vets’ concerns some sportsmanship related to “constant intense pressure” from some competitors, whom they defendant of constantly aiming to appeal against judgments in addition to trying to cheat systematically.
“All our officials should hold out able to create make with the pressures of the sport in addition to at that topographic point are clear systems inward house to bargain with this type of pressure level which occurs inward whatever competitive sport,” McEwen says. “These systems should be, in addition to are, used.”
Regulations confirm that the athlete is the soul responsible at all times. “The novel endurance rules reconfirm this in addition to sanction those who make non care their Equus caballus correctly.”
This applies as to the “jockey” riders, some of whom were, inward the sentiment of the vets, no longer next the regulation of making the most of the horse’s functioning on the hateful solar daytime yesteryear listening to their mount. Some, they said, pushed their Equus caballus beyond its capacity.
McEwen expresses the delineate of piece of work solid see that the novel endurance rules would receive got coped with the province of affairs described yesteryear the Compiègne veterinarians.
” … the novel rules come inward clear to all those involved, hold out they athletes, grooms, trainers or officials, that sanctions volition hold out applied if the sports rules are non strictly respected.”
Should the endurance reforms fail, does he reckon whatever reach for a different FEI-administered shape of the sport to concealment desert racing?
McEwen says he is confident that the novel rules in addition to the ongoing assessment of them volition address the sport’s issues.
“On the inquiry of potentially having separate rules for ‘Classical’ in addition to ‘Racing’ endurance, that has been nether consideration directly for some years, with different rules applying whilst the 2 types of contest remain nether ane FEI discipline.
“It has to hold out said that whenever this has been proposed to national federations at that topographic point has been piffling back upward inward the past.”
McEwen believes the universal back upward for the dominion reforms agency whatever prospect of a divide inward the world endurance are remote.
He accepts that the wider endurance arguing has affected the sport’s reputation.
“It has overshadowed in addition to then many of the adept aspects of the discipline.” Endurance, he says, is ane of the fastest growing Equus caballus sports inward the world, inward price of numbers taking piece of work in addition to inward geographical spread.
Since 2004, the number of nations participating has risen yesteryear 50 percent, from 37 to 53, in addition to at that topographic point has been a 100 pct increment inward FEI competitions to to a greater extent than than 900 per year.
“There are a lot of actually encouraging statistics. I make believe that the recent rules changes, in addition to the reinforcement of the private in addition to collective responsibleness for Equus caballus welfare volition address these issues in addition to that FEI endurance tin proceed to flourish.”
He does non receive got that the advent of aggressive riding that gave rising to the arguing inward the outset house puts the sport on a knife edge, with riders attempting to residue the demand to win (or perform well) against the welfare of the horse.
It should non happen, he says, if appropriate rules are inward house in addition to improved didactics ensures they are adhered to yesteryear the athletes.
“Everyone at the FEI in addition to inside the FEI household unit of measurement has a commitment to Equus caballus welfare, in addition to nosotros must never forget that nosotros also receive got a collective responsibleness for the regulation in addition to reputation of the sport.”
The FEI directly faces the employment of monitoring the dominion changes in addition to assessing whether they receive got made a difference.
He says he is confident that information that comes into the FEI from the ongoing Global Endurance Injuries Study, the independent governance advisers, in addition to the revised criterion reports from FEI officials, volition render a clear indication of the effectiveness of the novel rules.
The introduction of electronic reports volition also brand follow-up piece of work much to a greater extent than efficient than with the newspaper reports, with the Veterinary Department handling nigh 3800 vet reports annually.
He does non dominion out farther dominion changes some welfare as to a greater extent than piece of work is done in addition to to a greater extent than information is obtained as piece of work of the ongoing monitoring. “We volition non shy away from making whatever changes are necessary,” he says.
Any such changes volition hold out evidence-based, inward much the same way as information was used to justify the introduction of the extended repose periods which came into forcefulness August 1. That conclusion was based on initial findings that clearly indicated longer repose periods were necessary for total recovery.
Indeed, it was piece of work yesteryear Dr Parkin, who analysed vet gate information from 2010-2012, that helped seat take chances factors.
“This evidence-based approach volition hold out applied to other disciplines inward the way to which it is existence applied to endurance yesteryear the destination of 2015,” he says.
McEwen says the Endurance Strategy Planning Group, which drove the reforms, was laid upward as an independent torso in addition to worked separately from the FEI, basing its recommendations on consultation with national federations, other stakeholders, as good as the broad experience of its membership. The FEI Veterinary in addition to Endurance Departments also provided input, but the grouping was really much left to accomplish its ain conclusions.
While arguing inward the Middle East sparked the entire reform process, McEwen says regions volition non hold out singled out inward judging the effectiveness of the novel rules.
“We volition assess the impact on all regions. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 bird playing acre is the objective.
“We desire a fair in addition to condom sport for all involved.”
The FEI website content for endurance has been substantially enhanced to give much greater information to interested members of the public.
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