In an announcement from the FEI today, which sounds just a little like fence sitting, it has stated that the "issue of team relegation from the Meydan FEI Nations Cup™ is currently being discussed" which is extraordinary considering the final event in the series was held 5 days ago now in Dublin.

At the completion of the final leg, Great Britain and Belgium were tied for second last place, meaning that somehow a decision had to be made whether either or both teams would face relegation to the B league.

The problem with deciding which team should be relegated comes from multiple interpretations of the rules as written to cover this eventuality.

The case was referred to the Bureau for discussion and there is the possibility of handing the matter over the the FEI Tribunal, even though the Bureau unanimously decided that a decision must be made in the best interest of the sport and the fact that the "equestrian community is a family, and that the governing body has a responsibility to translate its own rules in a sporting fashion and to understand clearly the pressures that are faced by the National Federations and athletes as a result of the current economic hardships. Failure to field a team in the Nations Cup series will definitely put severe pressure on National Federations to seek sponsorship from governments, National Olympic Committees, and commercial partners."

Subject to seeking permission from the Show Organisers, it has been unanimously agreed to ask that neither team be relegated.

Does this mean that we will see 11 teams in the 2010 season? Or will only one team be upgraded from the B league, keeping it at 10 teams?

If only one team is upgraded, will the second placed B league team not then be entitled to seek action to see themselves also upgraded as they entered the 2009 series with the understanding that the two top teams will be upgraded?

While understanding just how important it is to every country involved in the Meydan/FEI Nations Cup series is, surely it is equally important to have a professionally run series where all posibilities are clearly defined so this situation cannot occur?

Italy, inspite of winning the final leg, are last on the leaderboard and surely there should be no discussion of their relegation - but no this is not the case!

To add to the oddity of possibly allowing both Great Britain and Belgium to remain in the A league, the Italians who have trailed badly throughout the series have requested that due to their exceptional performance in the final leg, and having their new chef d'equip, Markus Fuchs on board, they feel that if concessions are being made for two teams, then they also would like to be included in the concession making exercise.

So the reality is that no decision has been made - and the matter is now being discussed with the current sponsors of the Nations Cup A league series, Meydan, to see what they would like to see done in the 2010 season and discussions will continue with the Nations Cup Organisers before a final statement is made in regard to this very unfortunate and uncomfortable situation.

The question though, which surely must be asked is do the general public really care? The majority of the fans of showjumping will never achieve the level of competition that the Meydan/FEI Nations Cup series represents, and most go to watch for the pure pleasure of watching exceptional riders and horses jumping big and difficult tracks.

From discussions with supporters of the sport, the general feeling is that many are getting fed up with the constant troubles besieging their sport - with doping issues and now this, let's hope we don't lose many of the longtime supporters of a great sport.

It is time to get back to the pure enjoyment of the sport, without all the complexities which are constantly making our sport look "mickey mouse" in its running from national federation level all the way through to the top level.

Our FEI President, a former competitor at Olympic level, Princess Haya is passionate about equestrian sport and must surely wonder where it is all heading as her mandate was so clear in wanting to see the sport cleaned up and run for the pure enjoyment and pleasure of seeing exceptional horses jumping brilliantly - if she can achieve this she will surely be hailed as the best President of Equestrian sport, but it will not be without a great deal of hard work and perhaps table thumping!