The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decision in the matter of FEI Official Veterinarian Mr Marc Juul H. Schelkens (FEI ID 10050129/BEL).
In November 2021, it was brought to the attention of the FEI that Mr Schelkens failed to implement the biosecurity measures as required by the FEI Veterinary Regulations and the EHV-1 By-Laws while officiating in his capacity as Veterinary Delegate at the Bonheiden and Lier (BEL) Events in the second half of 2021. Among others, at the Lier Event in November 2021, no rectal temperature check was performed on the horses at the Examination on Arrival and falsified rectal temperature data was inserted into the HorseApp by Mr Schelkens. At the Bonheiden Events, the temperature check was not performed rectally as required and was conducted during the Horse Inspection, enabling non-examined horses mixing with already examined horses, thus in breach of the FEI Veterinary Regulations and the EHV-1 By-Laws.
Following the outbreak of the neurological form of EHV-1 in February 2021, to ensure a safe return to competition, the FEI Veterinary Regulations and the EHV-1 By-Laws require that at the start of an FEI Event, all participating horses must be examined upon arrival.
Read the full story on the FEI website and the full decision is available here.
