Princess Haya has made the ‘very difficult decision’not to stand for a third term as the FEI president, citing family andhumanitarian work as her reasons.
Weakened resolve
The Princess always planned to planned to leave office this year, but said her “resolve was weakened” when she was presented with a petition signed by 100 national federations calling for a change in the FEI Statutes, to allow her to stay for another four years.
“My colleagues in the FEI, in the national federations, in the bureau and our headquarters staff have done so much to improve and modernise this organisation in the last eight years, and I would have loved to continue to build on that progress,” she said.
“It would have been beyond exciting for me to continue to be part of this institution that is now truly in a position to reap the rewards of this metamorphosis and to see all of the continued work in that process be rewarded.”
Humanitarian work
However, commitments to her family as well as her country have left her unable to continue her role within the FEI. The Princess lost her mother when she was three, which has made her painfully aware of the importance of spending time with her two young children, which she has withSheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai.
She is also involved in humanitarian work in Gaza, which she described as ‘turbulent and desperate”.
Conflicting desires
“It is clear to me that I cannot in good faith promise to give my all in each of these areas while also continuing to be the hands-on president that the FEI needs and deserves,” she said.
“After agonising over these conflicting worries and desires, I realise that my decision cannot be put off any longer. For the good of the FEI and most of all, our community, this decision had to be reached in good time to allow the many excellent candidates to come forward.”