[blackcat95]

Cool that they accept their mistakes, but it doesn't work that way: "Oops! We were wrong! Carry on, chap!"... There is no way to carry on.
Sapphire was glowing, it was her time. You could see it, you could feel it...All of those who compete know what I am talking about: it's the right place at the right time.
I can just imagine what McLain is thinking: "Money? Points? Give me my World Cup, dimwits!!!"
He must REALLY feel ripped off now...

This. A too late press release saying the FEI was wrong doesn't really do anything for McLain...

[SquareOxer]

At least they are actually *sort of* admitting how dumfoundingly wrong they were.
"Incorrectly eliminated" is right.
The pair had it. A real shame.

[ponyjumper4]

I would appeal the disqualification. If they had no grounds to eliminate then they had no grounds to disqualify. Make the FEI completely bow down.

[*jumper*]

Cool that they accept their mistakes, but it doesn't work that way: "Oops! We were wrong! Carry on, chap!"... There is no way to carry on.
Sapphire was glowing, it was her time. You could see it, you could feel it...All of those who compete know what I am talking about: it's the right place at the right time.
I can just imagine what McLain is thinking: "Money? Points? Give me my World Cup, dimwits!!!"
He must REALLY feel ripped off now...

Exactly. At this point, those riders aren't going for money and points (most, at least)...they're riding for the freakin' WORLD CUP! A half-hearted "apology" months later is pretty lame. Sadly, I don't expect anything less from the FEI.

[poltroon]

I missed the part where they said the disqualification is OK, and I don't understand why that's not being appealed, or at least explained/clarified.

[findeight]

I missed the part where they said the disqualification is OK, and I don't understand why that's not being appealed, or at least explained/clarified.

Because there is now nothing to appeal. They reversed their decision (probably as a result of a formal appeal) and cleared them of any wrong doing. Too bad the class she was held out of was 3 or 4 months ago.

And FEI will not explain or clarify further because they don't have to.

[Geneva]

I missed the part where they said the disqualification is OK, and I don't understand why that's not being appealed, or at least explained/clarified.

Because there is now nothing to appeal. They reversed their decision (probably as a result of a formal appeal) and cleared them of any wrong doing. Too bad the class she was held out of was 3 or 4 months ago.

And FEI will not explain or clarify further because they don't have to.

untrue, as evidenced by the press releases. One decision (retroactive elimination from the 2nd class of the show) was reversed, the other (disqualification from the rest of the event) was not.
Direct quote from FEI press release:

"…the FEI has determined that the horse was incorrectly eliminated from the second round on 16 April 2010, however, Sapphire’s disqualification from the final round of the World Cup remains in place." http://www.fei.org/fei-tribunal/pres...squalification

How is that confusing? It says clearly that there were two decisions made, that one was reversed and the other wasn't. Both were based on the same finding of hypersensitivity; the difference was that one was done retroactively (elimination after she had competed in round 2) and was thus legally bogus, the other was not done retroactively (disqualification from round 3) and would likely withstand appeal as long as the officials keep their mouths shut about what happened.

Direct quote from USEF press release:

"In the spirit of competition everywhere and our sport specifically, Sapphire's disqualification from the Final will not be challenged even though the USEF does not agree with the FEI that the mare displayed a level of sensitivity, nor do they agree with the process that resulted in her disqualification." http://www.usef.org/_IFrames/newsdis...5879&star=true

Obviously if they have decided NOT to challenge something, there must be something left to challenge, no?

Various USEF bigwigs were asked about this by the audience at a Ky conference at the end of April that was webcast, and it was spelled out pretty clearly in advance that they knew they could get the FEI on the elimination, but the disqualification was difficult to reverse. So none of this is really any surprise to those following it closely, as long as you understood there were two issues in play.

[Tiramit]

Golly gee, thanks FEI. That statement makes it all better... I'm sure McLain feels satisfied now.

[Mardi]

and my how different they are.

In the soccer/futbol WC, some coaches resign after their team has lost, rather than go home and be fired. No matter that the coach got the national team all the way to the WC, their elimination from the tournament is that devastating.

Meanwhile players refuse to practice in a show of unity with another team member who had been disciplined.

The WC means that much to the players, coaches and fans.

In our WC, no one wants to challenge (USEF), and no one will be fired (FEI).
And everyone keeps on a-ridin'.

Who would want to compete in a sport's WC that, according to the behavior of
competition management and the NGB of one of the athletes, the final outcome
can be manipulated so easily and without serious repercussions to those who carried it out ?

The FEI, and USEF, have unwittingly weakened the integrity of future WC competition.