We need to cut red tape in equestrian, says Virwani

With two silver medals at last year's Asian Games to back their credentials as one of India's medal hopes at multi-sport events, Equestrian continues to face challenges due to the indifference of the powers that be and bureaucratic red tape, feels Jitu Virwani.

The Chairman and Managing Director of Embassy Group who sponsors Fouaad Mirza - India’s Asian Games medalist and Olympic hopeful - opened up on the challenges facing the sport.

"We (Embassy International Riding School) spent around 3 million euros before the Asian Games in 2018 and thus far I have been able to make payments for only 1.4 million. The RBI is not allowing me to send money (abroad). They wanted a NOC from SAI but nothing is happening there. It's been six months.

"We are not asking for any money or grant from the government. It's all our CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) money but we aren't allowed to spend. Right now I’m spending money from my wife's account, she is a foreign national. We need to cut the red tape," he said on the sidelines of the Equestrian Premier League final, adding that his company has even contacted the Sports Minister to expedite the process.

Now, with Mirza on the path towards an Olympic quota, Virwani feels the government should help ease the path towards funding to ensure things go more smoothly, especially with new sponsors interested.

“Lots of companies are ready to give the money and sponsor but first I have to get RBIs approval or else they won't give the money,” he opined, before citing a recent example where the money transfer proved a problem.

"We bought a horse for 300,000 Euros for Fouaad from Germany and that gentleman waited for two months for me to pay. He understood the situation because he has done business in India. But can you imagine somebody else waiting for that long?” he asked.

The horse has since been injured and the Embassy Group has now taken another horse on lease for the rider who has one more event left for the season.

Meanwhile, Sandeep Dewan - a showjumper and former Equestrian Premier League champion - shed light on more obstacles that are facing the sport. With the sports horse breeding industry in the country still at a nascent stage, the import of horses for the riders remains an arduous task.

"We are still paying about 42% import duty on the horses. There is also compulsory quarantine for a month in Europe and once again in India which is quite inexplicable because all the tests have already been done in Europe. Conditions here are terrible and there is hardly any space to work the horse (during the one month). We are on the lowest priority sport despite two Asian Games medal," he said.