Isabell Werth suspended after horse Whisper fails drugs test
German dressage rider Isabell Werth has been suspended from competition after her horse Whisper tested positive for a banned substance.
Small tour horse Whisper tested positive for Fluphenazine at CDI Wiesbaden in Germany on 30 May.
Ms Werth — who has won five Olympic gold medals — has been suspended immediately.
She will not be allowed to compete at CHIO Aachen, Germany (26 June- 5 July).
Prohibited substance Fluphenazine is a sedative that is usually prescribed as an antipsychotic in humans to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Breido Graf zu Rantzau, president of the German Equestrian Federation, said in a statement: “This is a catastrophe for the horse sport. But we don’t let ourselves be discouraged by all this negative news as we pave the way to a fair horse sport.”
A tribunal hearing has been scheduled for tomorrow (25 June) by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) to decide whether suspension will be temporary or not.
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Ms Werth has requested a B sample be tested.
Less than a month ago (28 May) the German equestrian team was disbanded and show jumper Ludger Beerbaum was suspended after doping allegations.
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.