The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) has awarded Her Royal Highness Princess Haya of Jordan the Order of Meritthe highest distinction created by the governing body of world equestrian sport. The award was presented during the London International Horse Showin an act that recognized a key trajectory for the transformation and consolidation of the FEI on the international sports scene. Princess Haya, president of the federation between 2006 and 2014 and current honorary presidentis the first person to receive this decoration, established in 2023 to reward lifetime achievements in the service of equestrian sport.
The current president of the FEI, Ingmar Devoswas in charge of presenting the recognition, underlining the exceptional nature of this distinction. In her speech, De Vos highlighted the vision and leadership of Princess Haya, whom she defined as a leader who knew how to transform the federation into a modern, transparent and agile organization, respected both inside and outside the strictly sporting field. Under her mandate, the FEI reinforced its position as a key interlocutor within the Olympic Movement, a space in which Princess Haya played a relevant role as a member of the International Olympic Committee and several of its commissions, including the Athletes Commission.
One of the most lasting legacies of his presidency was the creation of the FEI Solidarityconceived in the image of the Olympic Solidarity model. This project has been fundamental in promoting the development of equestrian sport in countries with limited resources, providing training, infrastructure and technical support to national federations around the world. The initiative contributed decisively to the global expansion of the sport and the strengthening of its structures, one of the strategic objectives set during his time at the head of the federation.
Princess Haya’s presidency was also marked by an important economic and institutional boost. In the area of governance, his mandate brought significant progress in the representation of athletes. It was she who introduced the figure of athlete representatives in the FEI technical committees, reinforcing the voice of the riders in the decision-making processes. Since 2014, in addition, the athletes themselves elect their representatives, consolidating a more participatory model in line with the standards of modern sport. In this same line of openness and dialogue, in 2012 it launched the FEI Sports Forum, conceived as a meeting space for national federations and all actors involved in the development of equestrian sport.
Another of the most relevant milestones in Jordan’s Haya legacy was the donation of the FEI headquarters in Lausanne, the Olympic capital. The building, named in honor of his father, King Hussein I of Jordan, allowed the federation to expand its professional team and improve the services offered to the international equestrian community. More recently, last October, these facilities were reinforced with the inauguration of a new auditorium named after Princess Haya herself, intended for meetings, conferences and institutional events.
Princess Haya was an Olympic rider at the 2000 Sydney Games in the eventing discipline. She was one of the first women in the Arab world to compete at the highest international level, becoming a reference figure.
