Comments on the FEI’s non-rights holders guidelines

On February 12, 2024, the FEI published the non-rights holders guidelines to publishing on social media at FEI named events.

In a nutshell, the FEI delares that all rights to video footage taken of the Field of Play (i.e. all competing grounds, kiss & cry, leaders lounge, entrance/exist area etc). are the property of the FEI.

Accordingly,

• live streaming and captures of footage during competition is forbidden on all platforms,
• filming and selling footage of competition is forbidden.

Since the publication of these guidelines, many questions have been raised relevant to transparency of what goes on in equestrian competitions as well as intellectual proprerty rights.

So much that the FEI published an explantatory note shortly afterwards specifying that the Guidelines in no way prevent filming and do not stop anyone from capturing images at an event.

What is forbidden is the commercial use and publication of footage on social media.

In addition to this, the Guidelines only apply to the following FEI named events : $

• Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ – Western European League and North
  American League
  ● FEI Dressage World Cup™ – Western European League
  ● FEI Driving World Cup™
  ● FEI Vaulting World Cup™ Final
  ● FEI Eventing Nations Cup™
  ● Longines League of Nations™
  ● Senior FEI Championships (European and World).