The European Breeders Fund has suspended Italian racing from participating in its program because Italian racing authorities have failed to "provide a solution to a long-running problem about the application of EBF regulations to the Italian racing program," according to a statement released by EBF Dec. 13.
"The immediate affect will be that FIA -- and through that organization’s Italian racing -- will have very restricted funds available to support the few EBF races which should be framed in 2010 and 2011," according to the release. "From the 2010 covering season, stallions based in Italy can pay EBF contributions to the EBF coordination committee (and NOT to FIA), thereby ensuring that the progeny conceived in the year the payment is made can compete in EBF races elsewhere in Europe when reaching racing age." The EBF said the suspension, which will be reviewed by its coordinating committee in December 2010 to see if Italy is in compliance, "will, sadly, add significantly to the problems already facing Italy’s racing and breeding industries." It added that the UNIRE, the Italian equivalent of the British Horseracing Authority and Levy Board, could rectify the situation by ensuring that EBF regulations are applied.
The EBF statement went on to note that protracted negotiations between the Italian EBF – backed by EBF entities in Great Britain, France, Ireland, and Germany, -- and Italian racing authorities have failed to rectify the situation.
"It is a fundamental requirement within the EBF countries that at least 70% of 2-year-old maiden races must be confined to EBF eligible horses. The Italian racing authorities have failed to give a guarantee that EBF rules and regulations will be strictly applied," the EBF said in a release.