Hugh Thomas Photo: Kit Houghton/BHT
Hugh Thomas, the event director of Badminton Horse Trials, has resigned from the Olympic eventing committee overseeing the organisation of the competition at Greenwich Park.
According to the Guardian newspaper in the UK Hugh Thomas has “branded as ‘disgraceful’ London 2012’s refusal to admit the general public to the horse inspections...”
Certainly it has always been a big drawcard at British events for the public to watch the first and second horse inspections (before the first day of dressage and prior to the showjumping phase). However apparently, as the first horse inspection takes place on the day of the Opening Ceremony and the final day of the Torch Relay, LOCOG has taken an operational decision not to admit the public due to the demand required on police resources and public transport. The reason for non-admittance for the second horse inspection is not given
This is obviously a topic that Hugh Thomas, who is a senior official of the FEI and has worked on previous Olympic eventing projects, feels very strongly about, saying
“The public nature of the proceedings is the guarantee of integrity and for enthusiasts a fascinating and integral part of the competition.”
Certainly for all of the thousands of spectators who don’t have tickets for the eventing competition, this would have been very appealing to attend; or maybe tickets would have required to be issued?
For the full article on the Guardian website CLICK HERE
