The Fédération Equestre Internationale Tribunal has published decisions in three endurance cases in the United Arab Emirates involving Dr. Hallvard Sommerseth, Abdul Aziz Sheikh and Ali Mohammed Al Muhairi.
Dr. Sommerseth, former head of the veterinary department at the United Arab Emirates Equestrian Federation, has been suspended as an FEI official for a two-year period for non-compliance with FEI rules and regulations and his involvement in a number of events from which duplicate results were submitted to the FEI.
The FEI Tribunal found that Sommerseth had been “grossly negligent with regards to his duties as an FEI official” during the events. Sommerseth had been provisionally suspended by the FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez since Aug. 31, 2015.
The FEI Tribunal suspension, which prevents Sommerseth from acting as an FEI official or having any involvement in FEI activities at a national or international level, runs through to April 15, 2017. The FEI Tribunal, which also fined Sommerseth 4,000 Swiss francs and ordered him to pay 1,500 Swiss francs towards the costs of the legal procedure, took into account the ongoing provisional suspension imposed by the FEI Secretary General and the period from March 12 to July 27, 2015, when the EEF was suspended.
Sommerseth has 21 days from the date of notification (March 10) to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The full decision is available on the FEI website.
Abdul Aziz Sheikh, former head of the EEF endurance department, has been suspended from acting as an FEI official or having any involvement in FEI activities at a national or international level by the FEI Tribunal for an 18-month period.
Sheikh was provisionally suspended by the FEI Secretary General on Oct. 13, 2015, for consistently failing to observe the FEI rules and regulations over a period of several years and for allowing a number of endurance events to proceed without accurate timing systems.
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The FEI Tribunal has now suspended him until April 12, 2017, taking into account the provisional suspension imposed by the FEI Secretary General. Sheikh has also been fined 3,000 Swiss francs and ordered to pay 1,500 Swiss francs towards the costs of the legal procedure.
Sheikh has 21 days from the date of notification (March 10) to appeal the decision to CAS.
The full decision is available online.
The FEI Tribunal has also issued a decision in the case against Ali Mohammed Al Muhairi (UAE) regarding breaches of the terms of a four-year suspension imposed in March 2012 following an equine anti-doping rules violation. Under the terms of the suspension, Al Muhairi was not allowed to participate in any capacity or be present at any Event authorized or organized by the FEI, other than as a spectator. The FEI Tribunal extended the period of ineligibility through to April 21 and ordered Al Muhairi to contribute 500 Swiss francs towards the costs of the legal procedure.
The parties have 21 days from the date of notification (March 10) to appeal the decision to CAS.
