EFI mess costs Indian riders global stage, FEI ban from December 1

Equestrian Federation of India New Delhi: Another story of administrative chaos and athletes paying the price. Caught up in a long-running governance crisis at the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI), Indian riders now face a ban from international competition, with their sporting future hanging in the balance. The latest setback comes at a time when the government is pushing to bring more international events to India and to expand the exposure of Indian athletes to global competition.The Equestrian Federation Internationale (FEI) decided to suspend the EFI from 1 December due to long-standing governance irregularities and failure to hold fresh elections, effectively excluding Indian riders, officials, trainers and horses from international events. TOI is in possession of the FEI’s October 15 letter confirming the decision, which was taken at the international body’s October 13 council meeting.Explaining its move, the FEI said the long-running EFI governance crisis had reached a tipping point. “The absence of elections to date to elect a new executive committee has led to prolonged administration and leadership inconsistencies that are no longer sustainable,” FEI director Francisco Lima said in the letter.The crisis followed the dissolution of the EFI’s executive committee by the Delhi High Court in February 2026. Its elected term expired in September 2023, while fresh elections remain pending nine months after the court’s intervention. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) constituted an ad hoc committee on March 27 to oversee the federation and facilitate the election process.While the FEI took note of the commission’s presentation on September 27 and its work, it said the election is expected by January 31, 2027. However, the suspension will only be reviewed after the polls have been conducted and evaluated by international organizations.The implications are far-reaching. Citing its statutes, the FEI said the EFI “may not participate in or be represented at any meeting or meeting of any FEI body, nor may it organize international events”. More damagingly, athletes, officials, trainers and horses “may not take part in international events organized by the FEI or any other national federation, whether under the Indian flag or the FEI flag”.With the suspension coming into effect before the election deadline, Indian riders risk missing out on crucial international competition opportunities. Their return will depend on the completion of the election and subsequent evaluation by the FEI, leaving the athletes trapped in a governance crisis of their own making.