The FEI Tribunal has issued a Consent Award in an equine anti-doping case involving a Banned Substance.

In this case, the horse Ashva Psyche (FEI ID 107YL76/URU), tested positive for the Banned Substance Stanozolol following samples taken at the CEI2*120 Costa Azul, Canelones (URU) 04-05 November 2023.

The trainer, Leandro Zubiaurre (FEI ID 10018848/URU), admitted the rule violation and accepted the consequences. In its final decision, the FEI Tribunal disqualified the horse from the event and imposed an 18-month ineligibility period on the trainer; the provisional suspension he already served shall be credited against the imposed ineligibility period. He was also fined CHF 5,000.

The full Decision is available here.

Notes to Editors:

FEI Equine Prohibited Substances

The FEI Prohibited Substances List is divided into two sections: Controlled Medication and *Banned Substances. Controlled Medication substances are medications 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 and are prohibited at all times.

In the case of an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for a Banned Substance, the Person Responsible (PR) is automatically provisionally suspended from the date of notification (with the exception of certain cases involving a Prohibited Substance which is also a **Specified Substance). The horse is provisionally suspended for two months.

Information on all substances is available on the searchable FEI Equine Prohibited Substances Database.

The FEI has appointed Daniel Alvarez, 44, a Swiss and Spanish national, as its new Finance Director. He will replace outgoing Chief Financial Officer Claude Praz, who will step down from his position at the end of June, to take an early retirement.

Daniel Alvarez is a Swiss certified specialist for Finance and Accounting with a solid expertise in Accounting and Controlling. He holds a wealth of professional experience having worked at international companies with branches in Switzerland such as Tetra Pak International; Ikea; and Debiopharm, an independent biopharmaceutical company. From 2009 to 2021, he was at Philip Morris International, where he rose to the position of Manager Financial Planning. Before joining the FEI, Mr Alvarez was the Head of Controlling – Business Partnering at Ineos Styrolution, a global chemical organisation. During his tenure at Ineos Styrolution he completed an Advanced Management Development Programme.

“It gives me great pleasure to welcome Daniel Alvarez to the FEI,” Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said. “We were impressed with his varied professional experience and are convinced that his deep understanding of Swiss finance coupled with his knowledges of international markets will be great assets for the FEI.

“I would like to take this opportunity to express our deepest thanks to outgoing CFO Claude Praz, who has been with the FEI for over 10 years. His contribution to the rigour and transparency with which the FEI manages its finances is outstanding. We, of course, respect his decision to retire early and enjoy personal projects, but are very sad to see him go.”

“I am delighted to be joining the FEI,” newly appointed FEI Finance Director Daniel Alvarez commented. “I was impressed with the organisation’s commitment to good governance, service and accountability and I am looking very much forward to this new challenge.”

Daniel Alvarez will start in his new role on 15 April and will work alongside Claude Praz to ensure a thorough and smooth handover.

Mr Alvarez speaks French and Spanish as mother tongues and is fluent in English. He is married and has three children.

The FEI Tribunal has issued a Consent Award in an equine anti-doping case involving a Banned Substance.

In this case, the horse Ashva Psyche (FEI ID 107YL76/URU), tested positive for the Banned Substance Stanozolol following samples taken at the CEI2*120 Costa Azul, Canelones (URU) 04-05 November 2023.

The athlete, Teresa Sanchez (FEI ID 10094966/URU), admitted the rule violation and accepted the consequences. In its final decision the FEI Tribunal disqualified the horse from the event and imposed an 18-month ineligibility period on the athlete; the provisional suspension she already served shall be credited against the imposed ineligibility period. She was also fined CHF 5,000 and all results from the event were disqualified.

The full Decision is available here.

Notes to Editors:

FEI Equine Prohibited Substances

The FEI Prohibited Substances List is divided into two sections: Controlled Medication and *Banned Substances. Controlled Medication substances are medications 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 and are prohibited at all times.

In the case of an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for a Banned Substance, the Person Responsible (PR) is automatically provisionally suspended from the date of notification (with the exception of certain cases involving a Prohibited Substance which is also a **Specified Substance). The horse is provisionally suspended for two months.

Information on all substances is available on the searchable FEI Equine Prohibited Substances Database.

 

The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decision in a human anti-doping case.  

This case involves an adverse analytical finding for Hydrochlorothiazide and its metabolite, Chloraminophenamide, which are included in the category of class “S5 - Diuretics and Masking Agents” according to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.

A sample taken from the Argentinian athlete Fabian Sejanes (FEI ID 10001261) on 11 August 2022, during the FEI World Championships held in Herning, Denmark, from 5-14 August 2022, returned positive for the Prohibited Substance mentioned above. The athlete was notified of the violation of the FEI’s Anti-Doping Rules for Human Athletes (ADRHA) on 11 October 2022. 

In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal decided to suspend the athlete for a period of 18-months, starting from the date of the FEI Tribunal Final Decision (27 October 2023). Additionally, the athlete was disqualified from all results obtained at the event as well as all other competitive results obtained by the athlete from the date of his sample collection were disqualified.  Finally, the athlete was fined CHF 3,000 and asked to pay costs of CHF 1,500.

The parties can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days of receipt of the decision.

The full text of the FEI Tribunal’s Final Decision is available here.

Notes to Editors:

FEI Clean Sport - human athletes

The FEI is part of the collaborative worldwide movement for doping-free sport led by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The aim of this movement is to protect fair competition as well as athlete health and welfare.

WADA’s Prohibited List identifies the substances and methods prohibited in- and out-of-competition, and in particular sports. The substances and methods on the List are classified by different categories (e.g., steroids, stimulants, gene doping).

As a WADA Code Signatory, the FEI runs a testing programme for human athletes based on WADA’s List of Prohibited List of Substances and Methods and on the Code-compliant FEI Anti-Doping Rules for Human Athletes (ADRHA).

For further information, please consult the Clean Sport section of the FEI website here.

The FEI Tribunal has issued a Final Decision under the FEI Equine Anti-Doping Rules Article 2.3 for Evading, Refusing or Failing to Submit the horse to Sample Collection.

In this case, the athlete Ayedh Al Mughamer (FEI ID 10174065/KSA), failed to submit the horse Talaqah (FEI ID 108BA98/KSA), to the doping control station for a sample collection at the CEI1* 100 Riyadh (KSA), 10-11 February 2023. 

The horse was selected for a mandatory in-competition doping control test on 11 February following a positive hyposensitivity examination. The athlete refused the testing and left the event with the horse.  

In its final decision the FEI Tribunal imposed a two-year ineligibility period on the athlete from the date of the decision, the provisional suspension served by the athlete will be credited against the period of ineligibility. The athlete was also fined CHF 7,500 and asked to pay costs of CHF 2,000. Lastly, the results of the horse and athlete combination from the event will be disqualified.

The full Decision is available here.

Separately, the FEI has notified an alleged Equine Anti-Doping Rule Violation under the Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations (EADCMRs). In this case, the athlete has been provisionally suspended until the decision of the FEI Tribunal and the horse has been provisionally suspended for two months.

Case: 2023/BS08

Horse/Passport: QUASTINA (FEI ID 107MC69/BRA)

Person Responsible/ID/NF: Lucio Vinicius DE OLIVEIRA OSÓRIO (FEI ID 10080702/BRA)

Event: CSI5*-W São Paulo SP (BRA), 22-27 August 2023

Date of sample collection: 23 August 2023

Prohibited Substance: Stanozolol

Date of notification: 24 October

Notes to Editors:

FEI Equine Prohibited Substances

The FEI Prohibited Substances List is divided into two sections: Controlled Medication and *Banned Substances. Controlled Medication substances are medications 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 and are prohibited at all times.

In the case of an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for a Banned Substance, the Person Responsible (PR) is automatically provisionally suspended from the date of notification (with the exception of certain cases involving a Prohibited Substance which is also a **Specified Substance). The horse is provisionally suspended for two months.

Information on all substances is available on the searchable FEI Equine Prohibited Substances Database.

 

The FEI Tribunal has issued two Consent Awards in an equine anti-doping case involving a Banned and a Controlled Medication Substance.

In this case, the horse Zaime (FEI ID 106SS76/QAT), ridden by Mohd Jubal Ahmed Sayadur Rahman (FEI ID 10093895/QAT) and trained by Jassim Hilal H Abuhadoud (FEI ID 10030706/QAT), tested positive for the Banned Substances 5α-estrane-3β and 17α-diol, and the Controlled Medication Substance Cobalt, following samples taken at the CEI1*100 in Doha, Mesaieed (QAT) on 12.11.2022.

The athlete and trainer both admitted the rule violation and accepted the consequences. In its final decision the FEI Tribunal disqualified the horse from the event and imposed an 18-month ineligibility period on the athlete and the trainer; the provisional suspension they already served shall be credited against the imposed ineligibility period. They were each also fined CHF 5,000. In addition, the Horse was provisionally suspended for 2 months.

The full Decision for Mohd Jubal Ahmed Sayadur Rahman is available here.

The full Decision for Jassim Hilal H Abuhadoud is available here.

Notes to Editors:

FEI Equine Prohibited Substances

The FEI Prohibited Substances List is divided into two sections: Controlled Medication and *Banned Substances. Controlled Medication substances are medications 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 and are prohibited at all times.

In the case of an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for a Banned Substance, the Person Responsible (PR) is automatically provisionally suspended from the date of notification (with the exception of certain cases involving a Prohibited Substance which is also a **Specified Substance). The horse is provisionally suspended for two months.

Information on all substances is available on the searchable FEI Equine Prohibited Substances Database.

The FEI has issued a Final Decision pursuant to the Anti-Doping Rules for Human Athletes (ADRHA) Article 8.3.3 in a human anti-doping case concerning Eric Lamaze (FEI ID 10000439), a recently retired Jumping athlete of Canadian nationality.

The Athlete has committed an anti-doping rule violation under ADRHA Article 2.5 (Tampering), due to the submission of fabricated medical documents during an ongoing CAS Proceeding.In accordance with ADRHA Article 8.3.2, the Athlete was deemed to have waived a hearing, admitted the violation, and accepted the proposed Consequences because he did not respond to the charge.

Given the absence of any mitigating circumstances, the Athlete shall be subject to a period of Ineligibility of four years (12/09/2023 to 11/09/2027). He is furthermore subject to a fine of CHF 15,000 and shall be required to reimburse the FEI its legal costs in pursuing the matter.

The Athlete, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and the Athlete’s National Anti-Doping Organization (the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport) each have the right to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days of receipt of the decision. Further detail regarding this matter will follow upon the conclusion of the ongoing CAS proceedings.  

The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decision in a human anti-doping case.  

A sample taken from the Brazilian athlete Pedro Stefani Marino (FEI ID 10017829) on 5 December 2021 during the CEI3* 160 Punta del Este (URU), returned positive for the Prohibited Substance Carboxy-THC. Carboxy-THC is a metabolite of THC (Cannabis) and is included in the Class “S8 Cannabinoids” of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List 2021. The athlete was notified of the violation of the FEI’s Anti-Doping Rules for Human Athletes (ADRHA) on 2 February 2022.  

In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal decided to suspend the athlete for a period of two years, starting from the date of the Final Decision (2 October 2023). Additionally, all competitive results of the Athlete obtained at the Event and from the date of the hearing onwards (15 May 2023) were disqualified with all the relevant consequences (forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes, etc.). Any competitive results from the conclusion of the Event up until the date of the hearing remained valid. Finally, the Athlete was imposed a fine of CHF 7,500 and ordered to pay costs of CHF 5,000.

The parties can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days of receipt of the decision.

The full text of the FEI Tribunal’s Final Decision is available here.

Notes to Editors:

FEI Clean Sport - human athletes

The FEI is part of the collaborative worldwide movement for doping-free sport led by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The aim of this movement is to protect fair competition as well as athlete health and welfare.

WADA’s Prohibited List identifies the substances and methods prohibited in- and out-of-competition, and in particular sports. The substances and methods on the List are classified by different categories (e.g., steroids, stimulants, gene doping).

As a WADA Code Signatory, the FEI runs a testing programme for human athletes based on WADA’s List of Prohibited List of Substances and Methods and on the Code-compliant FEI Anti-Doping Rules for Human Athletes (ADRHA).

For further information, please consult the Clean Sport section of the FEI website here.

Accommodating accessibility is often an afterthought in the planning of a sport event. But the Organising Committee of the FEI Dressage and Para Dressage European Championships here in Riesenbeck (GER) have ensured that everyone in attendance has an opportunity to participate fully in all aspects of the Championships, regardless of their disability.

In order to create a welcoming environment for all, accessibility considerations have been included in all aspects of the organisation of this week-long event which will host athletes, staff and spectators with different disabilities and mobility requirements.

Based on the learnings and good practices of the FEI World Championships in Herning (DEN) and Pratoni (ITA) in 2022, the Championships in Riesenbeck are the first to be organised in line with the requirements set out in the FEI Accessibility Handbook for Event Organisers

Relevant links:
Para Equestrian Digest: Ferdinando Acerbi
FEI launches Accessibility Guide for Event Organisers

This handbook, which is the result of consultation and collaboration with accessibility experts, individuals with disabilities and professionals in the equestrian industry, covers venue layout, accommodation and transportation among other areas of Event planning and delivery.

It is an advancement that has made Denmark’s former Para Dressage World Champion Stinna Tange extremely happy.

“The level of consideration and the attention given to accessibility and inclusion here in Riesenbeck has impressed me greatly,” said Stinna who has assisted the Organising Committee with their accessibility planning and is also the FEI Para Dressage sports reporter for the Championships.

“As a wheelchair user, it has been an absolute pleasure to be able to move around the venue as freely as any abled bodied person, and this should be the goal of accessibility of any and all equestrian events, regardless of the discipline.

“The FEI Handbook has been thoroughly studied and implemented by the Organisers here in Riesenbeck and I applaud the level of consideration and the seriousness with which the organisers have approached the job of assuring accessibility and inclusion at the venue.

Tools like this that result in a more inclusive event site are important to ensuring that wheelchair users like myself feel included and part of the action.”

In preparation for the Championships, the Organising Committee carried out an extensive outreach process where they contacted individual national federations to   understand the specific accommodation requirements of their athletes.

“We wanted to create an Event where everyone feels welcome and comfortable regardless of whether they are a participant or a spectator,” said the Event Manager for the Organising Committee, Verena Gravemeier who has played a front and centre role in Riesenbeck’s accessibility journey.

“But sometimes it is difficult to know where to start and how to effectively address all the different types of disabilities. Moreover, as an able-bodied person, it can be hard to understand, or even see, the barriers that a person in a wheelchair can experience, for example. And even if you do see the problem, the solution may not always be obvious. 

“So, we were fortunate to have Stinna’s assistance in the lead up to the Championships and together we worked to enhance all areas of our operations and we are extremely pleased with the feedback we’ve been receiving. Bringing Stinna into the planning process earlier rather than later, allowed us to resolve many issues before the Championships started, and in many areas the solutions were simple enough to implement.

“Once you start thinking about accessibility in terms of your end result, it is just a matter of time before you find yourself anticipating the various disability needs and requirements that need to be implemented in the Event planning process. We hope that our experiences here will help to build on the guidelines already provided in the handbook, which Organisers of future equestrian Events can also put into practice.”

North Rhine-Westphalia’s State Secretary for Sport and Volunteerism Andrea Milz summed it up well when she said, "If you are attending the FEI Para Dressage European Championship here in Riesenbeck you will see why this beautiful facility has been praised by the athletes, trainers and all visitors.

“The excellent venue construction and organisation should become a blueprint for future events, and we hope that other organisers will continue to treat Dressage and Para Dressage equally in all matters of operations. This way athletes with disabilities will also have the same opportunities as their able-bodied colleagues to take part in more top equestrian events."

Editor notes

The FEI was one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its able-bodied disciplines when Para Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The Para Equestrian Committee was created in 2006 when the governance of Para Equestrian passed from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to the FEI.

Over the years, there has been more integration of Para Equestrian sport into the FEI Governance and World Championship structures, which has raised the profile of Para Sport alongside the FEI’s other disciplines.

At the 2020 FEI General Assembly, the Chair of the FEI Para Equestrian Committee became a voting member on the FEI Board, ensuring that Para Sports has a place at the top table’s discussions alongside able-bodied disciplines.

Other governance related initiatives included in the FEI’s host bidding requirements, require world and continental championships for para athletes and able-bodied athletes to be held at the same venue.

The FEI Solidarity and Para Dressage Departments have worked together to create the FEI Para Dressage World Challenge series, a development programme in place since 1 January 2023. The Series aims to give athletes, who are unable to participate in international events due to financial or geographical reasons, the opportunity to compete in events in their own country. These competitions are in place to help National Federations develop Para Dressage, and close the gap between National and first level international competitions.

While these top-down initiatives have been important to the development of Para Equestrian within the FEI’s structures, it has also had a positive impact on the general attitudes towards disability and inclusion within the equestrian community more generally.

The FEI’s online Para Sport magazine – The Para Equestrian Digest – launched in February 2022 was created for Para Equestrian athletes and the people connected to the sport so they can share – in their own words – their personal experiences and disability stories. The Digest puts the spotlight on an athlete or project in Para Equestrian sport with the aim of increasing visibility for the sport and improving disability awareness and inclusion.

Photo credit: FEI/Liz Gregg

The FEI Tribunal has issued a Consent Award under the FEI Equine Anti-Doping Rules Article 2.3 for Evading, Refusing or Failing to Submit the horse to Sample Collection.

In this case, the athlete Abdullah Aldhuwayhi (FEI ID 10203839/KSA), failed to submit the horse Shaymaa (FEI ID 106RQ41/KSA), to the doping control station for a sample collection at the CEI2* 120 - Al Ula (KSA), 03-04 March 2023.

The athlete, admitted the rule violation and accepted the consequences. In its final decision the FEI Tribunal disqualified the horse and rider combination from the event and imposed an 18-month ineligibility period on the athlete from the date of the Consent Award. He was also fined CHF 5,000.

The full Decision is available here.

Notes to Editors:

FEI Equine Prohibited Substances

The FEI Prohibited Substances List is divided into two sections: Controlled Medication and *Banned Substances. Controlled Medication substances are medications 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 and are prohibited at all times.

In the case of an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for a Banned Substance, the Person Responsible (PR) is automatically provisionally suspended from the date of notification (with the exception of certain cases involving a Prohibited Substance which is also a **Specified Substance). The horse is provisionally suspended for two months.

Information on all substances is available on the searchable FEI Equine Prohibited Substances Database.