Calls have been made to ban showjumpers from using mobile phones while mounted at FEI competitions.
Last week the first draft of the proposed 2024 FEI rules changes was released to national federations and stakeholders. Among the rule changes put forward for showjumping was a proposal around the use of mobile phones when riders are on board at competitions.
The Dutch national federation KNHS proposed that the wording “no use of phone by hand while mounted” be added to the jumping regulations. The same proposal was not put forward for eventing or dressage.
The current rule states: “Earphones and/or other electronic communication devices are strictly prohibited in FEI jumping competitions, and such usage is penalised by elimination. For the avoidance of any doubt, athletes, grooms or any other person may wear one earphone at any other time while mounted”.
A KNHS spokesman told H&H the federation’s jumping committee feels that using a phone while riding “causes distractions and therefore is a safety risk”.
“Apart from being a safety risk, we strongly believe that it is bad form and [a bad] example to the public to have your phone in hand in the warm-up or training arena. Riders should be 100% focused on their horse while riding,” said the spokesman.
Despite being asked, the spokesman did not explain why the rule proposal had only been submitted for showjumping.
The FEI feedback to the proposal was that the FEI jumping committee is not in favour of this change and believes that “the stewards can warn an athlete if this behaviour is unsafe”.
Under the FEI rules review process, national federations and stakeholders had until 1 March to put forward proposals. The federations and stakeholders now have until 16 August to submit amendments and feedback, following which a final draft of the proposed rule changes will be released on 25 October. The rules will then go to a vote at the FEI general assembly in November, before coming into force next year.
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