Final Decisions in two cases involving banned substances have been issued by the FEI Tribunal

The Jordanian Endurance athlete Nayef Al Fayez (FEI ID 10066952) has been handed down a 30-month suspension following an adverse analytical finding on samples taken from the horse Obama Al Aswad (FEI ID 104DF50) at the 80km CEI*1 in Amman (JOR) on 21 May 2016. The samples tested positive for the banned substance Boldenone, and the controlled medications Dexamethasone, Meloxicam, Phenylbutazone and its metabolite Oxyphenbutazone.

In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal noted that under the current FEI Equine Anti-Doping Rules, the sanction for an adverse analytical finding for a banned substance is a two-year period of ineligibility for first time offenders. However, due to the presence of five prohibited substances, including the banned substance Boldenone, and the performance enhancing effects of the cocktail of drugs, the Tribunal felt that the imposition of a period of ineligibility greater than the standard sanction was justified.

The period of provisional suspension, effective from 20 June 2016, has been credited against the period of ineligibility, meaning that the athlete will be ineligible until 19 December 2018. In addition, the Tribunal imposed a fine of CHF 5,000, costs of CHF 3,000, and disqualified the athlete and horse from the competition, in which they finished second.

The athlete has 21 days to appeal this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) from the date of notification (17 March 2017).

Further details on this case can be found here.

The FEI Tribunal also issued a Final Decision in the case of the horse Dendros (FEI ID 103IT53), ridden by the Swiss athlete Matthias Klausener (FEI ID 10057973) at the CPEDI3* in Somma Lombardo (ITA) on 19 June 2016. Samples taken from the horse returned positive for the banned substance Demecolcine.

The Tribunal heard that the presence of Demecolcine may indicate contamination, most likely due to the ingestion of the flower Colchicum Autumnale, autumn crocus. Demecolcine is not a pharmaceutical, but in human medicine the substance is used for tumour therapy. There is no known use for Demecolcine in veterinary medicine and the alkaloids of the autumn crocus are all very toxic. Demecolcine has been put on the list of suggestions for substances to be designated as Specified Substances* for 2018.

It was proved to the satisfaction of the Tribunal that the substance had entered the horse’s system through ingesting hay that had been contaminated by autumn crocus. The athlete had previously successfully appealed for the lifting of the provisional suspension, which had been imposed on 27 July 2016. The provisional suspension was lifted on 6 October 2016.

The athlete established to the satisfaction of the Tribunal that he bore no fault or negligence for the rule violation and, as a result, the Tribunal ruled that no further sanctions should be imposed, other than the automatic disqualification of the horse and athlete from the competition, in which they finished sixth.

The athlete has 21 days to appeal this decision to the CAS from the date of notification (17 March 2017).

Further details on this case can be found here.

Notes to Editors:

The FEI’s Prohibited Substances List is divided into two sections - Controlled Medication and Banned Substances. Controlled Medication substances are those that are regularly used to treat horses, but which must have been cleared from the horse’s system by the time of competition. Banned (doping) substances should never be found in the body of the horse.

As part of FEI Clean Sport, the live Prohibited Substances Database provides an easily accessible online platform on which Banned Substances and Controlled Medications are clearly distinguished.

The FEI’s General Regulations are here and the FEI Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations are here.

*Specified substances

On 1 January 2016, the FEI introduced the concept of “Specified Substances” into the Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations (EADCMRs) in recognition of the fact that it is possible for certain substances to enter a horse’s system inadvertently, due to a credible non-doping explanation, and therefore to allow the FEI and/or the FEI Tribunal more flexibility when prosecuting a case or when making a sanctioning decision.

Notes to Editors:

About Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) www.fei.org

The FEI is the world governing body for horse sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was founded in 1921. Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic movement since the 1912 Games in Stockholm.

The FEI is the sole controlling authority for all international events in the Olympic sports of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, as well as Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining.

The FEI became one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its seven able-bodied disciplines when Para-Equestrian Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI now governs all international competitions for Para-Equestrian Dressage and Para-Equestrian Driving.