The FEI has informed H&H that updates to its coverage on filming at sure exhibits are to guard broadcasting agreements – and “are by no means an try and censor or prohibit transparency”.

This week confusion has arisen on-line following updates to the FEI’s social media tips at “FEI named occasions”. Though this coverage isn’t new, considerations have been raised by some that they might have an effect on openness within the trade.

FEI named occasions embody World and European Championships, World Cups, Nations Cups, and the Longines League of Nations, and the rules apply to “non-rights holders”’ akin to riders, rider help personnel akin to grooms, homeowners, nationwide federations, officers and accredited media. The coverage pertains to content material printed on web sites, blogs, social media, and cell apps.

The rules state that reside streaming of area of play footage in the course of the competitors and capturing video of area of play footage and posting later are forbidden in all circumstances on all platforms – however riders could share footage of their very own rounds on their very own social media that has been offered completely by the FEI solely. Nonetheless photographs will be posted with out restriction. It’s also forbidden to movie and promote footage or to “in any other case commercially exploit footage”.

H&H contacted the FEI for clarification on the up to date tips, and an FEI spokesman confirmed that the explanation for revising the present tips was to “deliver them updated and supply extra readability round who can submit at FEI named occasions”.

“It’s necessary to focus on this side of ‘FEI named occasions’, as there are various equestrian occasions around the globe that observe FEI guidelines, however these tips [only] discuss with the likes of the World Cup, Nations Cup, and so forth. These are the occasions which have broadcasting agreements in place between the FEI and third-party broadcasters,” he stated.

“At these occasions, the rights to movie and broadcast transferring photographs are bought to broadcasters, so that they have unique rights to the footage and to televise the competitions of their respective territories around the globe. Subsequently, the FEI wants to limit entry to area of play footage to ‘rights holding broadcasters’ (RHB) solely; that is to make sure compliance with the FEI’s media rights contracts with these RHBs.

“That is commonplace follow throughout sports activities media.”

The spokesman added that by way of the updates, references within the earlier coverage to non-rights holding media with the ability to submit some brief clips of the sphere of play to their very own Instagram channels have now been eliminated “to be in step with the contractual agreements”.

H&H requested how the rules will probably be enforced and the spokesman stated that the FEI realises “that is tough”, as non-rights holding media can movie footage on smartphones and add to channels with out anybody realizing, so the FEI will distribute the rules to FEI named occasions to share onsite. The FEI will request that social media platforms take away content material that breaches copyright, and should request present organisers to take away an outlet or particular person’s accreditation on the occasion, or future occasions.

The spokesman stated that the FEI desires to “emphasise that these tips are by no means an try and censor anybody or prohibit transparency at occasions”.

“They’re in place to make sure the rights of RHBs are totally revered,” he stated.

“The athletes can submit their rounds on their social media, and the nationwide federations can submit all their athletes’ rounds. So in impact, all of the rounds could possibly be posted on-line so long as they observe these tips, which might additionally take away the difficulty of individuals importing footage for their very own business good points.”

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H&H senior information author

Since becoming a member of H&H in 2018, Becky has coated a broad vary of equestrian information together with welfare issues, veterinary research, FEI Tribunal hearings and street security campaigns. She has additionally interviewed prime riders together with Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to call only a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, in addition to the Royal Highland and Blair Citadel Worldwide Horse Trials nearer to dwelling. She was additionally a key a part of the distant reporting crew for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.