Olga Plachá, the president of the Czech Equestrian Federation, is weighing in on the discussions that were prompted by the Czech dressage youth team selections and the resignation of its Dressage Committee.
Placha sent an open letter to the members of the Czech Equestrian Federation (CEF):
The Executive Committee of the Czech Equestrian Federation (CEF) has received and accepted the resignation of the members of the CEF Dressage Committee, effective as of 30 June 2026. As the reasons provided for the resignation contain incomplete, inaccurate, and misleading statements, I consider it necessary to present the facts as they are. Members of the Federation, athletes, parents, coaches, and the public have the right to know the verifiable facts, rather than only a one-sided interpretation.
Under my leadership, the Executive Committee has acted with one objective only: to protect fairness in sport, ensure equal conditions for all CEF members, and maintain confidence in the approved rules. For this reason, it is not possible to take into account who a particular athlete is, who serves on an expert committee, or who may have influence over the nomination process.
The conditions for participation in international dressage competitions (CDIs) and the European Championships are proposed by the Dressage Committee and approved by the Executive Committee. The same procedure was followed for the 2026 season. After my election, I personally attended the public meeting of the Dressage Committee on 24 November 2025, thereby expressing my support for the dressage discipline and my respect for the work of its expert committee.
For the 2026 season, the Dressage Committee proposed a minimum score of 66% at national competitions as the qualification requirement for participation in CDI events, and a minimum score of 67% achieved at a CDI as the qualification requirement for participation in the European Championships. At the same time, no proposal was submitted regarding the procedure to be followed should an insufficient number of riders meet these qualification criteria to complete a team. The Executive Committee approved these sporting and technical conditions in full confidence in the professional judgment of the Dressage Committee.
If the Dressage Committee now claims that the qualification conditions for the European Championships were subsequently changed or modified, it must be stated that no such proposal was ever formally submitted to, or approved by, the Executive Committee. Consequently, the Executive Committee could not base its decisions on informal interpretations, subsequent explanations, or documents that had not been approved through the prescribed procedure. Only the valid and duly approved Sporting and Technical Conditions (STCs) are binding.
For the sake of completeness, I would also like to point out that CDI entries were approved by Dressage Committee member Ms. Hana Vášáryová, while the CEF Secretariat processed those entries based on her instructions. Until the circumstances described below came to light, the Executive Committee had no reason to believe that this process was not being conducted in accordance with the approved conditions, the principle of impartiality, and the Federation’s Code of Ethics.
The Dressage Committee submitted a proposal for the nominated entries for the European Championships for Young Riders, including rider Johana Vášáryová. The Executive Committee acted in good faith and relied on the expert committee’s assurance that all nominated riders met the required qualification criteria. It later became apparent, however, that Johana Vášáryová had been included in the nominated entries contrary to the valid STCs, as she had not completed a single international start at the time the proposal was submitted.
Further examination established that Ms. Hana Vášáryová had entered Johana Vášáryová for the CDI events in Olomouc and Hagen at a time when she had not yet achieved the required minimum score of 66% at national competitions. She was subsequently withdrawn from CDI Olomouc, but not from CDI Hagen. The closing date for entries to CDI Hagen was 22 May 2026; according to the Executive Committee’s findings, the rider had not met the required qualification criteria for participation in a CDI by that date.
The rider competed at CDI Hagen but did not achieve the required score of 67% necessary to qualify for the European Championships. She has not competed at any other CDI since then and therefore did not fulfil the national qualification criteria for participation in the European Championships.
For this reason, when approving the definitive entries for the European Championships, the Executive Committee decided not to include Johana Vášáryová. This decision was not based on any personal considerations, pressure directed against the dressage discipline, or any intention to disadvantage a particular athlete. It was based solely on the fact that the previously approved national qualification requirements had not been fulfilled.
I reject any suggestion that this decision was contrary to the interests of dressage, youth sport, or the national team. On the contrary, had the Executive Committee permitted the participation of an athlete who had not met the same requirements applicable to all others, it would have acted unfairly towards every CEF member who respected the rules. Such a decision would also have undermined the very principle of sporting fairness.
The findings also fundamentally undermined the Executive Committee’s confidence in the Dressage Committee, as the Committee did not act in accordance with the STCs that it had itself prepared, submitted, and recommended for approval. Furthermore, the principle of equal treatment of all athletes was not consistently observed during the process of approving international entries.
The Executive Committee also found that the Dressage Committee’s documentation lacked clarity and consistency for both athletes and the public, including inconsistencies in document dating. This also contributed to a situation in which differing interpretations of the rules arose, creating uncertainty among Federation members.
Personally, I find it unacceptable for rules to be changed retrospectively, interpreted differently depending on the individuals concerned, or for information to be presented publicly that does not correspond to the approved documents and the facts established. Members of the Federation’s governing bodies, expert committees, and national team representatives must set an example in respecting and applying the rules.
I would like to assure the dressage community, athletes, parents, coaches, and supporters that the Executive Committee fully supports the dressage discipline and will continue to do so. However, support for the sport must be based on transparent, pre-established, and objectively applied conditions. Only in this way can we safeguard the confidence of CEF members, promote the development of young athletes, and protect the good reputation of Czech equestrian sport.
The members of the Executive Committee and I will ensure without delay the continued functioning of the dressage discipline so that athletes are not disadvantaged either organisationally or competitively. Our priorities remain continuity, stability, open communication, and a fair environment for all members of the Czech Equestrian Federation.
Prague, 29 June 2026
Ing. Olga Plachá, MBA
President
Czech Equestrian Federation
Related Link
Czech Riders Announced for 2026 European Youth Riders Championships, Dressage Committee Resigns