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UAE suspended for 'indeterminate period'
Horse close up
"Where horse welfare is concerned the FEI has to show leadership and solve problems in a structural way without making any concessions."

Follows an investigation into major horse welfare issues

The FEI Bureau has suspended the National Federation of the United Arab Emirates for an 'indeterminate period' following an investigation into major horse welfare issues and non-compliance with FEI Rules and Regulations in the discipline of endurance.

Chaired by FEI president Ingmar De Vos, the bureau was unanimous in its decision to suspend the UAE National Federation.

Under the terms of the suspension, the UAE National Federation may not attend or be represented at any session or meeting of any body of the FEI,  must not organise any international events, and its members cannot participate in any international events. However, UAE athletes from disciplines other than endurance will be able to compete under the FEI flag in international competitions organised outside the UAE.

The UAE Federation have been told by the FEI that any reinstatement to FEI membership is dependent on the UAE Federation signing an agreement with the FEI, under which the UAE pledges to take such action as the FEI Bureau sees necessary to assure the FEI and all stakeholders that the UAE Federation is protecting the welfare of the horse and complying fully with the FEI rules and regulations.
 
Ingmar De Vos said: "The decision to suspend a National Federation is not something that is taken lightly and we only should do this if no other remedy can be found.

"Sadly this was the only option left, but we have to take our responsibility and must never be afraid of tackling major issues head-on. Where horse welfare is concerned the FEI has to show leadership and solve problems in a structural way without making any concessions.
 
"We were confident that strict enforcement of the new rules implemented on 1 August 2014 following adoption of the recommendations from the Endurance Strategic Planning Group would be effective in reducing the numbers of catastrophic injuries and fatalities in the UAE, but regretfully this has not been the case. There have also been other major non-compliance issues, so in the end we had no other choice than taking this drastic measure to deal with an unacceptable situation.”

The UAE National Federation was notified of the suspension yesterday (12 March) and has 30 days to appeal to the FEI Tribunal.

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BBC Radio 4 documentary addresses corporate fees

BBC Radio 4's File on 4 Investigates has released a documentary exploring how corporate-owned veterinary practices may be inflating bills to increase profit.

Released on 15 April, 'What's Happening To Your Vet Bills?' revealed the policies which many corporate groups have in place to increase their profits. This included targets and upgrades which veterinary teams are tasked with meeting on a regular basis.

It also features Anrich Vets, an independently-owned practice based in Wigan. Following the case of Staffordshire terrier Benjy, who is diagnosed with a tumour, the documentary shares how the team were able to offer contextualised care and advice to make the procedure as affordable as possible for his owners.

The documentary can be heard on demand on BBC iPlayer.