FEI News
Positive Medication Cases For Horses AtT 2004 Olympic Games
By Muriel Faienza
Oct 8, 2004

The FEI today announces the results of the medication controls for the horses sampled during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

Forty horses were sampled (20% of the participating horses), and 4 test results were positive pending any confirmatory analyses.

In accordance with FEI medication control procedures the Persons Responsible (PR) for the horses testing positive have been contacted through their National Federations.

FEI procedure is to publish names of horses and riders only once the case has completed the FEI legal process described below. The FEI may disclose names at an earlier date if the NF of the rider has agreed.

The procedure for processing these positive medication cases for horses is as follows; however, it is FEI practice to grant continuances when requested and cases may therefore take longer to process:

Samples taken from horses participating in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens were sent to the FEI Central MCP Laboratory in Paris (FRA) for analysis. Standard process time is 1-3 days via courier service; these samples were received at the laboratory within 1-3 days.

The positive cases were forwarded to the FEI Legal Department by the FEI Veterinary Department. Standard process time is approximately 1 month from time of sampling, lab results, approval by FEI Medication Sub-Committee, chain of custody control by FEI Veterinary Department; these cases have taken just over one month.

The Persons Responsible (PR) for the horses have been notified of the positive results via their National Federation (NF). Standard process time is approximately 1-10 days; these cases have taken 5 days.

The PRs will have ten days from notification of their test results to request a confirmatory analysis (B-sample) of the initial analysis (A-sample) and to request an oral hearing before the FEI Judicial Committee.

If a PR does not require a confirmatory analysis, he/she must supply a written explanation as to how his/her horse tested positive or to request the oral hearing within ten days after notification of the results.

If a PR requires a confirmatory analysis, the tests will be run again on the split portion of the sample - the B-sample. The laboratory must begin the testing within 21 days of the request by the FEI Legal Department (standard testing time is approximately 1-3 weeks depending on the complexity of the substance(s)).

The PR will be informed of the B-sample results and if positive must provide an explanation as to how the horse tested positive within ten days of notification of these results (standard process time approx. 1-10 days).

Once the FEI Legal Department has the explanation from the PR it will compile a complete case file which will be submitted to the FEI Judicial Committee for their decision (standard process time approx. 1-10 days).

The PR may alternatively request an oral hearing before the FEI Judicial Committee which would normally be held during the next scheduled meeting but may be arranged at an earlier date if necessary. The PR would normally be notified at the meeting of the decision (approx. 15 days - 3 months).

The majority of positive medication cases are reviewed and decided by the FEI Judicial Committee by correspondence. Each case is distributed to an investigating member of the FEI Judicial Committee who is responsible for proposing a decision. The proposed decision is circulated to the other members for their approval (5-10 days). The FEI Legal Department informs the PR of the FEI Judicial Committee's decision via his/her NF (approx. 1-10 days).

The PR has 30 days to appeal the FEI Judicial Committee's decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Following the decision of the FEI Judicial Committee, the FEI may decide to review the results of the Olympic competitions concerned and inform the IOC accordingly.

The FEI list of prohibited substances for horses is published on the FEI website www.horsesport.org section veterinary - medication control. The FEI complete legal procedure for positive medication cases is published in the section legal - legal procedure.

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