In a visit that could be important to the future of equestrian sport in the Olympics, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach was among the 22,000 spectators who attended the FEI Eventing World Championships on cross-country day at Pratoni del Vivaro. Italy, over the weekend.
There is always a question of whether equestrian competition and in particular, eventing, will be dropped from the Games as new events such as surfing and break dancing are added.
The IOC president was accompanied by FEI officials and 2000 Olympic gold medalist David O’Connor, now chair of the FEI Eventing Committee.
“These are amazing facilities to see and it is a pleasure to experience a real Olympic legacy and sustainability success story,” the IOC president said.
“I’m very impressed by the many measures the FEI has taken to safeguard the well-being and the health of the horses, and I am pleased with everything the International Federation is doing to ensure the future of the sport.”
Pratoni hosted the cross-country phase of at the 1960 Rome Games, and also did the same at the 1998 World Equestrian Games.
Although equestrian sports are on the schedule for the 2024 Paris Games and 2028 in Los Angeles, 2032 in Brisbane does not have a firm agenda as yet. Eventing is popular in Australia, but the country has not qualified yet for Paris, since it finished tenth, out of the crucial top seven, in Pratoni.