Danish 5* Judge Leif Tornblad Suspended until 31 December 2017

Thu, 11/09/2017 - 22:01
FEI Dressage News

The FEI has suspended Danish 5* judge Leif Tornblad for breaching article 2 of the code of conduct for FEI Dressage Judges. He will be suspended until 31 December 2017.

On 8 November the FEI informed Törnblad of his temporary suspension, effective immediately, for the remainder of 2017 due to his breach of Article 2.

The Codex states: “A Judge must avoid any actual or perceived conflict of interest. A judge must have a neutral, independent and fair position towards riders, owners, trainers, organizers and other officials and integrate well into a team.”

The suspension follows an official complaint filed in The Netherlands. On 27 September 2017 the Dutch Equestrian Federation confirmed that it filed the complaint with the FEI, but on 9 November Dutch lawyer Schelstraete sent out a press release from his office, in which he stated the complaint was filed by former Dutch team trainer Sjef Janssen.

The complaint follows Tornblad's interview in Horse Magazine. According to Janssen's lawyer, Törnblad "adopted negative statement about Mr Sjef Janssen and the Dutch equestrian sport." 

The FEI informed Mr Törnblad on 25 October 2017 that it was considering imposing sanctions in connection with an alleged breach of the Codex for FEI Dressage Judges arising from inappropriate comments made by him to media about current trainers and athletes, which called his neutrality into question.

The FEI has taken the decision after a thorough review, including hearing Mr Törnblad’s oral submission and reviewing his written statement to the FEI regarding the matter. Mr Törnblad has been informed that the FEI does not question either his integrity or his performance as a 5* FEI Dressage Judge.

The FEI’s decision is made in accordance with Article 7 of the Codex: “The FEI and the FEI Dressage Committee have the right to undertake disciplinary actions against judges who do not follow the Codex and the FEI Rules and Regulations. Such disciplinary actions may consist of: Warning letter, Temporary suspension, Demotion, Removal from the FEI Dressage Judges’ list.”

The suspension will be lifted at midnight on 31 December 2017.  

Mr Törnblad may appeal this decision to the FEI Tribunal in accordance with Article 38.1 of the FEI Statutes and Article 165 of the FEI General Regulations.

In an interview with Dutch equestrian publication Horses.nl, Janssen's lawyer stated: "Unfortunately Leif Tornblad has only been suspended till the end of the year. We think this is absolutely not enough. Tornblad not only directly caused damage, but he fed unsubstantiated prejudices which have caused consequential damage. Tornblad's exclamations have again led to an unfounded, negative publication in St.Georg." Janssen's lawyers insist that this case has to be treated by the FEI's ethical committee and if they will not, they will go to CAS.

Photos © Astrid Appels

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