Karen Pavicic and Don Daiquiri. © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com
July 29, 2016
The International Equestrian Federation investigation of a Canadian dressage judge for alleged tampering with the selection of riders for the Olympics on Friday became a headline report on the national public CBC News.
CBC News carried a lengthy report on the case that involved the World Games pair of Karen Pavicic of Surrey, British Columbia and Don Daiquiri.
With one qualifying competition remaining in Canada last month, Karen and Don Daiquiri were second behind Belinda Trussell and Anton to fill one of two starting places for Canada in dressage that starts at the Rio de Janeiro Games on Aug. 8. Megan Lane and Caravella, team mates at the 2014 World Games, were in the third slot.
“But,” the CBC report said, “at the final North American qualifying event in June at Cedar Valley near Newmarket, Ontario, it is alleged Canadian judge Elizabeth (Libby) McMullen exaggerated the marks she awarded Lane and her horse, effectively moving them into second position by less than five one-hundredths of one per cent.
“The scores meant Lane would be going to the Olympics, while Pavicic stays home.
“After the competition, Pavicic says she was approached by more than one judge who claimed McMullen had been overheard saying she inflated the marks to give the advantage to Lane.”
The FEI Dressage Committee has decided there is not enough evidence to overturn or annul the results but has said it is continuing to investigate allegations about the competition.
Elizabeth McMullen, a FEI 5* judge, is an official at the World Young Horse Championships in Ermelo, Netherlands this week and the FEI has appointed her dressage technical delegate at the 2016 World Cup Final in Omaha, Nebraska next March.
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