The FEI Takes Democracy to China

There are many places in the world where one might choose to celebrate democracy, transparency and the freedom of choice. And then, of course, there is Jiangyin, China.

The FEI General Assembly will gather in Jiangyin from 2 to 5 December 2026. Among the most important items on the agenda: the election of a new FEI President.

Yes, an election. A genuine opportunity for representatives of national federations to exercise their democratic rights, consider competing candidates and decide who should lead international equestrian sport into its next chapter.

And what better setting for such a celebration of democratic choice than China?

A country internationally renowned for its distinctive interpretation of freedom of expression, political pluralism and open political competition. A country where the concept of opposition politics has, shall we say, been assigned a rather limited role.

One could hardly imagine a more thought-provoking backdrop for an international gathering devoted to choosing its own leadership.

Of course, an election within an international sports federation is not the same as a national political election. We would never suggest otherwise. That would be unfair.

Still, the symbolism is difficult to ignore.

Perhaps the location will provide delegates with an opportunity to reflect on the importance of independent thinking, the freedom to express differing opinions and, above all, the fundamental principle that a vote should genuinely matter.

One might even suggest adding a short workshop to the programme entitled "Democracy: A Practical Introduction".

Although perhaps that would be asking rather a lot.

The FEI has repeatedly emphasised its commitment to good governance, transparency and accountability. These are admirable principles. But they should mean more than carefully worded policy documents, election regulations and speeches at General Assemblies. They should also be reflected in the decisions an organisation makes and the standards it chooses to uphold.

And this is where the question becomes interesting.

The issue is not whether the FEI is entitled to hold its General Assembly in China. Of course it is.

The issue is whether an organisation representing international sport, and claiming to champion integrity, inclusion and good governance, has sufficiently considered the symbolism of choosing such a setting for one of its most important democratic moments.

Because leadership elections are not merely administrative exercises. They are an expression of an organisation's values. They should encourage openness, independent judgement, genuine debate and the freedom to make a choice without undue influence.

Perhaps, then, we should not be too critical.

There is, after all, something wonderfully international about democracy: it travels everywhere.

Whether it receives the same welcome everywhere it goes is another matter entirely.