A LIVELY discussion on sanctions surrounding the blood on the flank rule (214.3.30) took centre stage on day one of the FEI Sports Forum 2025 in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The International Jumping Riders’ Club (IJRC) had requested to discuss the rule in Monday’s afternoon session, which was dedicated to revisions of the FEI jumping rules. Moderated by former Irish international show jumper and chair of the FEI Athletes’ Committee, Jessica Kürten, taking part in the discussion was FEI jumping director Todd Hinde, chair of the FEI Jumping committee Stephan Ellenbruch along with key representatives from across the jumping community: IJRC President François Mathy Jr, Swedish chef d’équipe Henrik Ankarcrona; FEI Judge Level 4 and FEI Steward Level 4 Cesar Hirsch, who was chief steward at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and organiser of Jumping Amsterdam Irene Verheul.

The audience heard there is a growing consensus on the need to review the sanctions for rule 214.3.30 to achieve a more proportionate approach. The rule states that should there be blood on the horse’s flank(s), the ground jury must enforce elimination. Among the proposals suggested is a shift from immediate elimination to a graduated system, starting with a warning, followed by a yellow card, and potentially a suspension for repeat or severe offences. This approach would aim to balance the rule’s protective intent with fairness, ensuring that riders face sanctions proportionate to the offence, while also addressing concerns over equine welfare.

Proportion

Explaining that the IJRC are keen to avoid a situation similar to the Paris Olympics, when Brazil’s Pedro Veniss was eliminated after round one of the team competition for ‘minor’ blood, therefore dropping his team out of contention because of the team format of no drop score, Mathy said: “Of course, we need this rule because neither the riders, the officials nor the public want to see a horse with blood coming out of the ring, so let’s be clear about that.

“This rule was made to protect the sport and the consequences of this rule, in this situation [Pedro Veniss at the Paris Olympics] was the opposite, because we know what the rule is but when the people in the press read ‘rider eliminated and blood’, it appears as a welfare issue and it was very clear that it isn’t.

“We have a scratch and the direct elimination and, in that situation, is something we want to address because we think it’s unfair.

"The main principle in law is that you have to have a proportion between the violation and the sanction. And in this situation we have a problem, we think, with the straight eliminations.”

Mathy suggested two ways for dealing with the issue; to change the protocol for what he described as a ‘micro lesion’, or to have a “process of graduation”. He said: “First sanction would be a warning; second sanction would be a yellow card and third sanction, within a period of time, you would then be banned for a period of time. That’s the way we, as riders, see it as a good solution to address this problem and make this rule fairer.”

FEI Jumping Director, Todd Hinde said it is a discussion to be had. “I think we are all in agreement of the importance of the rule since its implementation has been a success, and we know that it’s working. But maybe there is an option to discuss whether or not we look at different sanctions for different offenses.”

Ellenbruch added: “It’s very important that we keep the rule as such, and that we keep the procedures, because they are totally clear and we have a protocol for that. The key word is social license to operate. It is what it is, we are living in times where it will be very, very difficult to explain that to the outside world, and not only to the outside world, even to the inside world. There are people who will not understand that. So that is a little bit my concern.

“Once again, I would love to keep the rule. I would love to keep all the procedures, I’m open to listen to proposals, the better is always the enemy of the good. I think the rule as it is, does still make sense. If there is a better way with finding a different way to sanction riders, let’s discuss it.”