There has been an uproar in the equestrian media landscape in the past week due to "new" rules that apply for non-rights holders when posting videos on social media from FEI-named events. This also includes riders, owners, grooms, influencers and anyone, who does not officially hold the rights for the FOP (field of play) areas. I've sent questions to the FEI and an official spokesperson sent me the following answers.
These new rules sparked a huge discussion on the first day they surfaced social media and online magazines and they don't only apply to media, but also for example to riders, their team and horse owners. Why did the FEI decide on these new rules?
It is important to clarify these are not new rules/guidelines, they have been in place for several years, and we solely published an Update on 12 February – which did not contain any major new restrictions, only it presented the information more explicitly to help Non-Rights Holders understand what they could post from the field of play at FEI-Named Events. These Guidelines have always applied to Non-Rights Holders, hence anyone or any entity that does not have a contractual agreement to film and distribute video footage from an FEI-Named Event – this includes media, influencers, spectators, athletes, grooms or even a National Federations. Â
Not every competition or class falls under these new rules - please explain which competitions are directly affected, as there is a lot of confusion.Â
These Guidelines only apply to a select number of FEI-Named Events, and does not affect all events on the FEI Calendar. Only the FEI-Named Events at the show are concerned, since these are the only ones that the FEI has/places the rights to. So, for example, at FEI Dressage World Cup™ shows, only the two FEI Dressage World Cup™ competitions would be covered by these guidelines. Similarly, at a Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ - Western European League event, only the FEI World Cup classes are covered. The Grand Prix, for example, would not be. Similarly, the footage from all other non-FEI named classes are not covered. The Organiser (who holds the rights for other classes) may have their own restrictions for those classes, but that is not a matter for the FEI.
Various angles of situations in the sport make the sport more accessible to the public. How do you plan on filling these potential gaps of news coverage, to still make the sport feel relatable and emotional?Â
As mentioned previously, these Guidelines only apply to select FEI-Named Events (refer to Guidelines and FAQs for breakdown). As you will have seen in the Guidelines, Non-Rights Holding Media can post videos from the Mixed Zone as well as the Course Walk – and all areas not deemed field of play (FOP) at an FEI-Named Event, and/or from FOP during any other category of event at that show that is not concerned by the Guidelines.,
For Athletes and National Federations, there are also opportunities to post their full round, but they must source their video from the FEI’s sharing platform – which also ensures they have a professionally produced video
These restrictions for Non-Rights Holders on publication of FOP footage are industry standard in sport, and we have sought to ensure as many possibilities for our NRH to post videos from the FOP at FEI-Named Events without breaching contractual agreements with our Rights Holders.
The importance of for example social media has grown over the past years and professional riders almost can't find a way around it. Many content creators have built up their career by filming those moments, that usually the tv cameras don't catch, as there is a completely different focus. If someone would like to post a video of the warm up, the entrance or the show itself - how would the standard procedure be now?
See above – or refer to explanation note and FAQs
Editor's note: To view the FAQs regarding the NRH Guidelines for Posting Videos from FEI-Named Eventsprovided click HERE.
Currently, the sport is in the focus of the public eye, of equestrians and non-equestrians alike. There are a few negative comments about the timing of these new rules. Please walk us through how these decisions are made and how long the process takes.Â
Again these are not new Guidelines (publicly available on the FEI website for around 5 years), and exist because Rights Holders (i.e. Broadcasters to whom the FEI has placed the rights) require this as part of their contractual agreements with the FEI. The restrictions on Non-Rights Holders on publication of field of play footage are industry standard in sport. The FEI’s approach is line with the approach taken by other sporting organisations (e.g. other International Federations, the IOC, IPC).
We decided to update them because with the previous guidelines stakeholders seemed confused as to what they could and could not do leading to multiple cases of NRHs publishing FOP content from FEI-Named Events on social media and/or commercialising such content.
Following a review, it was decided to refine and clarify the previous guidelines so that each relevant stakeholder group could have a clear understanding of what is and is not permitted to publish, and this is indicate din the table on the Guidelines.
Summary
Objective: Provide guidelines for Non-Rights Holders (NRH) on posting videos from FEI-Named Events
Guidelines do not restrict filming but focus on publication of video content on social media
Applicable only to certain classes at FEI-Named Events, not all FEI Events
NRHs can access footage for publication outlined in the guidelines
FAQs clarify purpose, rights holders, field of play definition, and updates
Video content refers to any moving image, including smartphones
Livestreaming and posting FOP footage on social media are restricted
Still images can be posted without restrictions
Guidelines apply only to FEI-Named Events, not other classes
Athletes can receive footage via FEI Socialie for personal use
FEI Socialie Platform provides footage only for FEI-Named Events
Spectators' ability to post video depends on the event's agreements
Reposting content from FEI's digital channels is permitted
Violations are assessed case by case with potential consequences
For using additional footage, contact broadcast@fei.org
What do you think of these rules? Let us know in the comments if you have more to say!
I don't mind
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