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International Equestrian Federation clears Russia for team events at int’l competitions

The FEI General Assembly also made a decision to allow Belarus to host federation-sponsored competitions starting in 2026

MOSCOW, November 5. /TASS/. The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) has ruled to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete at international tournaments in team events, the FEI press office announced in a statement on Wednesday.

The decision was made at the FEI General Assembly in Hong Kong and it will come into force starting January 1, 2026. National teams from Russia and Belarus will participate under a neutral status.

The FEI General Assembly also made a decision to allow Belarus to host federation-sponsored competitions starting in 2026.

Russian athletes have been barred from FIE-sponsored tournaments since March 2022 after the International Equestrian Federation slapped the Russian equestrian sports with sanctions due to the country’s special military operation in Ukraine.

In November 2023, at a meeting of the FIE Bureau, held within the framework of the organization's General Assembly in Mexico, a decision was made that it was necessary to change the measures imposed on Russian athletes, horses, officials, horse owners and accompanying staff.

The FEI headquarters was instructed to work out criteria allowing individual Russian athletes, horses, officials, and so on to resume participation in FEI competitions under a neutral status, and to come up with an application form for this status.