By Sarah Edmonds
LONDON, July 25 (Reuters) – Eventing rider Alexander
Peternell on Wednesday expressed relief at a court victory that
forced a reluctant South Africa to allow him to compete under
its flag at the London Olympics.
When lower-ranked rider Paul Hart was chosen in his stead
for the sole South African eventing spot, Peternell launched a
lengthy battle that took him to the Court of Arbitration for
Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The court on Tuesday upheld his appeal.
“I am very excited to say that I am sitting in Greenwich in
the stable area with my horse Asih,” Peternell said in a
telephone interview from the Olympic equestrian venue.
South African sports authorities chose Hart instead of
Peternell to represent the country in eventing, which tests
horses and riders in dressage, cross-country and jumping, citing
the fact that Peternell lived and competed from Britain.
“As we all know, this athlete has been based in the United
Kingdom for the last 11 years consecutively,” Tubby Reddy, chief
executive of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic
Committee, said in a statement on Wednesday.
“It is indeed a very sad day for us as a country to be
instructed to select an athlete into Team South Africa against
our will, but being a disciplined member of the Olympic Movement
we have no option but to adhere fully to this decision.”
Reddy expressed regret that Hart — “one of our loyal
countrymen” — had to suffer the consequences of this decision.
Continued…
