FEI gets tough on doping

Immediate suspensions and four-year bans from competition for doping offences were announced by the FEI on Monday as part of the sport’s attempt to “clean up”.

The tough new Equine Anti-Doping and Medication Control Rules, ratified by the FEI general assembly in Kuala Lumpur, take effect on 1 June.

The rules, now separate from the FEI veterinary regulations, bring horse sports in line with the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) code, and other major sports. The WADA code was adopted for riders before Athens 2004.

FEI legal director Alexander McLin told H&H: “The new system is similar to the human one in that if there’s a positive test there’s a presumption of guilt and the rider will have to demonstrate they did not intend to enhance performance.

“In the past year, there’s been a trend towards tougher sanctions, and we expect that to continue.”

Last year, the FEI admitted a need to address doping issues in horse sport. A “medicine box” and three new categories of prohibited substances were agreed.

Under the new regulations announced on Monday, doping offences carry a ban of up to four years (two years for first-time offenders); medication class A offences a ban of up to four years (one year for first-timers) and medication class B offences a minimum warning and reprimand or maximum one-year ban from competition.

Riders can be immediately suspended by the FEI judicial committee on return of a positive test for “doping”. Once the case is heard, outright doping offences will lead to fines of up to CHF15,000, with fines also possible in Medication A and B cases.

British team vet John McEwen welcomed the new rules but expressed concern over the “fine print” — differentiating medication classes A and B. “But it will penalise the cheats without catching the innocent medication cases in the same net,” he said, adding that he believed riders would take note.

Don’t miss next week’s issue of Horse & Hound for more on improved FEI legal processes.

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