New online system will publicise dope tests [H&H VIP]
The FEI is closer to publicising worldwide negative dope test results after finalising a new online reporting system.
The negative tests listing is the public’s only means of seeing who has been selected for testing, and where.
But publication only applies to the 40 European federations in FEI Groups I and II that are signed up to Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations (EADCMRs), and whose competitions can be attended by an official FEI tester.
The remaining 90 are responsible for their own sampling. For this reason, all results are publicly available from the 2014 World Equestrian Games (WEG) in France, but not from the 2010 WEG in the USA.
The true extent of dope testing in Group VII (Middle East) endurance was raised by H&H last November.
Available data shows FEI testing vets attended just 11 of the 27 FEI endurance events at Euston Park, UK, since 2008.
Euston’s rides were managed by Sheikh Mohammed’s Dubai Equestrian Club (DEC).
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Sheikh Mohammed’s own mounts have been selected for testing just once at Euston, when he won the 2012 World Championship. DEC is currently negotiating a major sponsorship deal with Endurance GB.
An FEI spokesman said the new reporting system will be extended worldwide by the end of 2014.
“We need this platform to collect all the veterinary information, including anti-doping sampling, in a uniform way across all the events and disciplines so that the results are available in a database and can be searched, analysed and published,” she added.
Pierre Genecand, one of the FEI presidential candidates, welcomed the development, but remained concerned about the true reach of EADCMR.
“Should a federation or an organiser refuse to comply, his right to host international events should be reviewed and sanctions applied. There can’t be a difference in the way the FEI treats the various groups, countries or individuals,” he said.
Ref: H&H 27 November 2014
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Formerly Horse & Hound’s first female deputy editor, Pippa is an award-winning journalist who has actively campaigned to raise awareness of the welfare concerns within the sport of endurance in order to drive change. During her 21 years on the H&H staff rota, Pippa sub-edited every sector of the magazine before being promoted to assistant editor and then deputy editor. She was also an active reporter, covering Olympic Games, European championships and the last stand-alone world eventing championship, at Gawler, South Australia, in 1986, prior to the introduction of the World Equestrian Games.