Butta-kriget: Process påbörjad - Kallings i listgruppen

Sven Holmberg - har just nu övertaget i butta-kriget. FOTO: Robert Solin

* FEI:s styrelse har i dag beslutat hur processen fram till ett beslut i butta-kriget ska se ut.  Beslut tas vid FEI-kongressen i Taipei, Taiwan, i november.
* En särskild "buttakongress" ska hållas i augusti, ledd av Sven Holmberg, förste vice ordförande i FEI och en uttalad motståndare till den så kallade "progressiva listan".
* Dessutom ska en så kallad list-grupp tillsättas, vilken ska komma med rekommendationer till beslut. I den gruppen kommer bland andra den svenske veterinären Peter Kallings med. Han är uttalad motståndare till användande av antiinflammatoriska substanser på hästar som tävlas.
- Den här processen går nu åt rätt håll, säger Sven Holmberg.

Med det uttalandet menar Sven Holmberg att det ser ljust ut i frågan om att antiinflammatoriska medel inte ska tillåtas.
- Vi ska låta alla synpunkter komma till tals,men under rådande omständigheter ser det ganska lugnt ut. Att jag fått i uppdrag att leda kongressen i augusti och om man ser vilka som är med i den kommittén så ser det ljust ut, säger Sven Holmberg.

Anledningen tlil att man inte släpper namnen på de som ska vara med i listgruppen är att man inte hunnit tala med alla tilltänkta.
- Det blir klart om en till två dagar, tror Sven Holmberg.

Pressmeddelande från FEI:
On the occasion of its Executive Board (EB) meeting held at the FEI Headquarters today, 9 March, the FEI announced further steps in relation to the debate on in-competition use of a limited number of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) under strictly prescribed limits and set the relevant timeline.
 
A central point in the debate will be the FEI Congress on NSAIDs Usage and Medication in the Equine Athlete which will be held in Lausanne in August.
 
To lead the debate, the EB appointed an FEI Congress Committee chaired by 1st Vice President Sven Holmberg and composed of Chris Hodson (2nd Vice President), John McEwen (Chairman of FEI Veterinary Committee), Graeme Cooke (FEI Veterinary Director), Dr Yves Rossier, and Prof. Leo Jeffcott as members.
 
The composition of the FEI List Group is being finalised and will be announced shortly.
 
The following timeline has been established:
 
- Mid-April – the science currently available published online

- Mid to end July – information will be sent out for consultation. It will reflect the policy issue of whether the FEI should allow the restricted use of NSAIDs, provided the levels are limited and are deemed by the List Group not to threaten horse welfare and not to be performance enhancing.

- August (date TBC) – congress held in Lausanne

- End of August – consultation process with the National Federations begins. Lists and Congress proceedings will be sent to the NFs in view of the General Assembly.
August – October – consultation with NFs

- Beginning of October – final Lists sent to NFs

- Beginning of November:
FEI General Assembly votes on policy
FEI Bureau approves revised List

- April 2011 – Revised List comes into effect
 
To facilitate the debate, the FEI will set up in the coming weeks a virtual platform open to the global audience. National Federations, riders, trainers, officials, event organisers, veterinarians, the media as well as the general public will be able to access the science currently available and will be encouraged to submit their contributions to the debate.
 
Further details on the launch of the online platform and the logistics of the Congress will be announced in due course.