IOA seek to rein in ‘Azad Kashmir’ horse

MUMBAI: In early December last year, a Pakistani equestrian named Usman Khan qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 -marking the country’s maiden appearance in the discipline. Two months later, Usman’s upcoming presence at the Summer Games has become a cause for concern among India’s Olympics administrators.

Why? Because Usman’s horse, the one he rode to qualification for Tokyo, is named ‘Azad Kashmir’.

According to a horse database maintained by the international equestrian federation (FEI), Usman bought a 12-year-old baycolt called ‘Here-to-stay’ from Belinda Isbister of Australia in April 2019, and renamed him ‘Azad Kashmir’ on possession. Usman is set to ride the same horse at the Olympics as well.

Now, with India’s Fouaad Mirza also having bagged a berth for the same event in Tokyo, the Indian Olympic Association has sought legal opinion to check if the matter would fall under the purview of the Olympic Charter’s Rule 50.

The s aid rule provides a framework to protect the neutrality of sport and the Olympic

Games. Rule 50 states that ‘no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.’

“Political neutrality has to be maintained at the Olympics at any cost,” said IOA president, Narinder Batra. “People can’t be allowed to play mischief at the Games.”

Meanwhile, an official from the Equestrian Federation of Pakistan (EFP) said that if the IOC lodges a formal complaint with them then they would take the matter up with Usman Khan. “He has chosen the name of the horse and qualified with the same horse, so I don’t think the horse name can be changed at this moment,” said Muhamad Irfan Zaafar, head of IT and communication of EFP.

Asked what would be his federation’s stand if the International Olympic Committee intervenes and prohibits Usman from making political statements at the Olympics, Zaafar said the horse would then participate with its FEI identity instead of its name.

“If it becomes an issue then we’ll first check if Usman is flexible with changing the name,” Zaafar said.

“But then we can always use its FEI identity instead of the name.”