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The FEI has announced adverse analytical findings involving two members of the Qatari Jumping team which booked one of the two Tokyo 2020 team quota slots at the designated Olympic Jumping Qualifier for Group F (Africa & Middle East) in Rabat (MAR) in October 2019.
Samples taken on 13 October from the Qatari Jumping athletes Sheikh Ali Al Thani (FEI ID: 10024194), and Bassem Mohammed (FEI ID: 10082635) tested positive for Carboxy-THC, a metabolite of Cannabis, which is a prohibited substance under the FEI’s Anti-Doping Rules for Human Athletes (ADRHA).
The athletes have not been provisionally suspended, as Carboxy-THC is a *Specified Substance banned in competition under the 2019 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.
Details on these cases can be found here.
In order to maintain the integrity of the ongoing legal process, the FEI will not comment further on these cases at this time.
Notes to Editors:
Tokyo 2020 Olympic quota places were available to the two best ranked teams from Group F (Africa & Middle East) at the Group F FEI designated Qualification Event in Rabat (MAR), 10-13 October 2019, excluding the teams already qualified. The two teams that earned qualification in Rabat were Egypt and Qatar.
* Specified Substances should not in any way be considered less important or less dangerous than other doping substances. Rather, they are simply substances which are more likely to have been consumed by an Athlete for a purpose other than the enhancement of sport performance. Positive cases involving Specified Substances can be handled with a greater degree of flexibility within the structure of the FEI Regulations.
HRH the Infanta Doña Pilar de Borbón, President of the FEI from 1994 to 2006 and elder sister of former King of Spain Juan Carlos I, has died in Madrid following a year-long battle with cancer. She was 83.
Born in Cannes (FRA) on 30 July 1936 to Their Royal Highnesses the Count and Countess of Barcelona while the Spanish family were in exile during the Spanish civil war, she grew up in Estoril (POR). She also lived for some time in Italy and in the Olympic Capital, Lausanne (SUI), home of both the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the FEI.
She obtained a nursing diploma in Portugal and practised her profession for three years in a variety of hospitals. Well-known for her charitable work, she was actively involved in a number of charities, including the Red Cross, Friends of the Monasteries, Foundation for the Defence of Life, Nuevo Futuro, Action Aid, Foundation for Investigation and Training in Oncology.
At the age of 31 she married Luis Gómez-Acebo and the couple had five children, Simoneta, Juan, Bruno, Beltrán and Fernando. Tragically, her husband died in March 1991.
Her brother Juan Carlos I reigned as King of Spain from November 1975 until his abdication in June 2014, when the Infanta’s nephew took over the throne as King Don Felipe VI.
The Infanta was an Executive Board member of the Spanish National Olympic Committee and Honorary President of the Spanish Equestrian Federation. Between 2007 and 2009, she was President of Europa Nostra, a pan-European Federation for Cultural Heritage, established to safeguard Europe's cultural and natural heritage.
As well as her work in the arts and culture, she was also fluent in six languages and wrote the foreword for the official Spanish translation of the German National Federation instruction handbook, Técnicas Avanzadas de Equitación - Manual Oficial de Instrucción de la Federación Ecuestre Alemana.
She was an equestrian athlete at national level before taking over the reins at the FEI in 1994 from HRH The Princess Royal. The Infanta was elected as a member of the IOC two years later, a position she held for the remainder of her tenure at the FEI. When her term in office as FEI President came to an end in 2006, she was made Honorary President of the FEI and an IOC Honorary Member, titles she retained until her death.
She always maintained her contact with the FEI, attending the inauguration of the FEI Headquarters in Lausanne in May 2011 and she was also present at the FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final 2016 at the Real Club de Polo de Barcelona, venue for the Barcelona 1992 Olympic equestrian events.
“Doña Pilar was one of the warmest people I have ever met and was a wonderful President of the FEI for 12 years”, FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “She was a true visionary, introducing a strategic plan to modernise the Federation and initiating a solid governance structure that was taken forward by her successor HRH Princess Haya.
“She had a no-nonsense attitude that meant she was straight to the point but always done with great humour. She will live on in the collective memory of the equestrian world forever.”
The FEI extends its deepest sympathy to the Infanta’s extended family, huge circle of international friends and to the Spanish Equestrian Federation.
Olympic athlete Martin Fuchs (SUI) has moved to the top of the Longines Rankings for the first time in his career, overtaking compatriot Steve Guerdat who held the number one position for a year.
Martin Fuchs (27), now out in front with 3,483 points, has been hot on the heels of Guerdat since August last year and finished 2019 with a string of inspirational performances including his impressive Grand Prix victory on home turf at the CSI5* at Geneva and, a week later, taking the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ leg at Olympia in December, 29 years after his father Thomas won at the London venue.
“It’s fantastic, really great, but I must say that my biggest success as number one doesn’t reflect just one show or one event. It’s a combination of everything.” Martin Fuchs said. “It’s really nice after such a great year in 2019 to start 2020 as the world number one. I am so proud and so fortunate at this young age to be able to have such success already and I am looking forward to a great year ahead”.
Fuchs’ first major victory was team gold at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010, and he went on to make his senior Olympic debut at the Rio 2016 Games with his brilliant grey gelding Clooney 51.
Fuchs has achieved podium finishes at the last three major Championships, including individual silver at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018 in Tryon (USA) and helping the Swiss team to fourth to earn a team quota place at the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Games.
He finished as runner-up to Guerdat at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in Gothenburg (SWE) in April of this year and was crowned European Champion together with his faithful partner Clooney 51 at the Longines FEI Jumping European Championships in Rotterdam in August, becoming the sixth Swiss Jumping athlete in the 62-year history of the event to claim individual gold.
Other important results for the Swiss athlete include victory at the 10th leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2018/2019 Western European League at Basel (SUI) and at the third leg of the 2019/2020 season in Lyon, both of them with Clooney 51, while Chaplin was his Grand Prix winning co-star at the CSI5* GCT/GCL n Madrid (ESP) in May and in Cascais, Estoril (POR) the following month.
After his Olympia triumph with The Sinner, Fuchs moved up to fourth on the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ leaderboard to book his ticket for the 2020 Final in Las Vegas (USA) next April.
Five athletes have maintained their positions in the top 10, with Daniel Deusser (GER) remaining third, Ben Maher (GBR) fourth, Beezie Madden (USA) seventh, Darragh Kenny (IRL) eighth and Henrik Von Eckermann (SWE) 10th. Peder Fredrickson (SWE) has moved to fifth after overtaking Pieter Devos (BEL), while Kent Farrington (USA) was the new entry in the top 10, moving up from 11th to ninth.
The Longines rankings, which are published today by the FEI, can be viewed here.
About Martin Fuchs
Martin Fuchs’ early results in international competitions demonstrated that a new star was born in Jumping, as he finished second at the FEI Jumping European Championship for Children in Istanbul (TUR) in 2006 with Vasco IV and third for two consecutive years at the FEI Jumping European Championship for Juniors in Auvers (FRA) in 2007 and in Praha (CZE) in 2008 with Karin II CH.
After competing in numerous international events, he won team gold at the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games and, six years later, was a member of the Swiss time at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games where he was ninth in the individual standings and his team sixth.
Other remarkable moments in his career were individual silver with Clooney 51 at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 and second place at the Longines FEI World Cup™ Final 2019 in Gothenburg (SWE).
Photo caption: Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs, who steered The Sinner to a sensational victory in the Longines FEI World Cup™ leg at London Olympia last month, has taken over the world number one slot in the Longines Rankings from his compatriot Steve Guerdat. (FEI/Liz Gregg)
Ireland claimed the FEI Jumping Ponies’ Trophy for the third consecutive year and completely dominated the podium when Rhys Williams romped to victory ahead of compatriots Alex Finney and John McEntee at the 2019 Final at Mechelen in Belgium today.
At Senior level there is often amazement at how this small island on the edge of Europe can so consistently produce so many athletes of the highest calibre. And today’s FEI Jumping Ponies’ Trophy Final result suggests that trend will continue well into the future, as the next generation already look equally impressive.
Williams easily made the cut into the Final when finishing fifth at both the first leg of the qualifying series in Herning (DEN) in October and the third leg in Stuttgart (GER) in November.
There were three days of action at Mechelen to decide the eventual champion, and the 15-year-old schoolboy from Ennis in County Clare finished fourth in Friday’s opener which was won by brilliant 12-year-old Anna Szarzewski from France, and was third in Saturday’s class in which 16-year-old Amber Frederick came out on top for Belgium.
A total of 14 pony-and-rider combinations went into the first round of today’s deciding competition, and with previous results calculated into points Szarzewski and Williams were on level pegging as the action began, each on a zero score. And when they both left all the poles in place first time out then the pressure was even more intense as the top-ten second round got underway.
Fifth to go, Denmark’s Josefine Sandgaard Morup and her 13-year-old mare Rainbows Mocha added nothing to their six-point scoreline when posting a double-clear, and when John McEntee followed suit with Little Smithe then this Irish pair stayed just ahead of the Danish duo with five on the board.
Ireland’s Alex Finney came into the ring carrying just three points, and when she crossed the line clear with the eight-year-old Still Got Me that really put the squeeze on the last three. Emma Meric, a member of the French bronze-medal-winning team at the 2019 FEI European Pony Championships in Strzegom (POL), was also carrying just three but when she left four fences on the floor with her little grey, Venise des Islots, then Finney was already assured of a podium placing as compatriot Williams entered the ring, second-last to go.
Giving the nine-year-old K-Little Hero d’18 a brilliant ride, the Irish contender really put it up to co-leader Szarzewski with a foot-perfect run. And when the diminutive little French girl and her lovely 10-year-old grey pony Vaughann de Vuzit - one of two carrying the supremely successful and very beautiful French-bred Connemara stallion Dexter Leam Pondi bloodline to make it to the closing stages - hit the vertical on the tricky turn to fence five and then also lowered the penultimate fence, they dropped to fifth place just behind Sandgaard Morup in fourth while McEntee moved up to third.
“I’m delighted with the outcome today - Hero was jumping his heart out!” said newly-crowned champion Williams who, riding CES Cruson, took individual gold and team silver in Children on Horses at the 2018 Youth Championships in Fontaintainebleau (FRA). Talking about the Belgian-bred pony that carried him to victory today he explained, “Hero has a horse pedigree but he never grew and he’s all power!”
His father, Adrian Williams, is a specialist pony-producer at Parc Stables in Ennis and along with Ian Fearon and Marie Burke, both former Irish internationals, trains Rhys who has already enjoyed a lot of success in the sport. He coped admirably with the pressure today. “Going into the final round I just tried my best to keep my cool. I knew that was all I had to do and it’s a dream come true! To come to Mechelen this year and to be at the same show as the 5-Star riders and share the same arenas - its such a great experience and I’ll be back again hopefully!” he added.
Mechelen Show Director, Peter Bollen, was more than pleased today with the development of the series which is going from strength to strength and highlighting talent. Ireland’s Seamus Hughes-Kennedy won the inaugural Final in 2017, and in 2019 scooped European Junior team gold and the Seven-Year-Old Final title at the FEI WBFSH Championships in Lanaken (BEL).
The 2018 champion, Katie Power, has enjoyed a hugely successful 2019 season and this weekend the title returns to the Emerald Isle for the third time.
“I wanted to create a World Cup for pony riders and I’m very happy to see the concept is established now and getting more and more support. We have the contract signed for next year again and we will try to get one or two more qualifiers for the new season to make the series even stronger” Mr Bollen said.
Final Standings here
Belgian-based German star, Daniel Deusser, stormed to victory with Killer Queen VDM at the ninth leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League at Mechelen in Belgium today.
In a fascinating 12-horse second round, the 38-year-old rider who is currently third in the world rankings had to wait until the very end to take his chance. Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer was holding the lead with a run that had clearly not pushed his gelding, Cortney Cox, to the limit of speed when breaking the beam without lowering a pole in 44.02 seconds.
“It was a bit of a strange jump-off, there were plenty of good combinations that got through but then not so many clears, and to be honest I knew I had a chance of beating Pius’ time. In the end I had nothing to lose so I didn’t think about the poles, my horse was feeling really good and I thought if I don’t fight today then when should I try - and it worked out great because she played along with me and she was brilliant!” Deusser said after pinning Schwizer into second and Belgium’s Wilm Vermeir into third.
Belgian course designer, Eddy Geysemans, set a first-round track that demanded cautious negotiation in the small Nekerhal arena. And when it came to the second-round race against the clock it was all about tight, balanced turns and the ride down to the final vertical.
Vermeir’s elegant IQ van het Steentje put on a jumping exhibition first time out and took the early lead with the first clear of the jump-off, but in the slow time of 45.16 seconds which left the door wide open. And when Germany’s Christian Kukuk also decided to go for safety rather than speed, stopping the clock in 48.45 with the 10-year-old Quintino, it was still all to play for.
Switzerland’s Schwizer set the new target at 44.02 seconds when fifth-last to go, but with three speed merchants following him it still looked like a wide-open race.
Italy’s Emanuele Gaudiano is always fast with the extraordinary Chalou, but their time of 41.05 wouldn’t be a winning one when they hit the vertical third fence. And when young Belgian hero, 24-year-old Jos Verlooy who claimed team gold and individual bronze at this summer’s FEI European Championships in Rotterdam (NED), had two fences down then only Deusser was left to challenge.
Setting off with determination from the start he was confident that he could do it with his ever-improving mare. And Killer Queen lived up to her promise when cruising home clear in 41.37 seconds for a clear victory.
“She has done a few amazing things already and she’s still only nine years old! I have her for two years now, she won quite a few youngster classes including the best Young Horse in Aachen when she was eight. From year to year she steps up and gets better and better, I just need to improve her dressage some more because she has huge potential for the future - she’s a very exciting horse!” Deusser said.
He won the Mechelen leg of the Western European League qualifying series before, back in 2013 with his former great horse Cornet d’Amour who went on to win the 2014 series title. After today’s win Deusser, a member of the silver-medal-winning German team in Rotterdam this summer, is now going to try to qualify for the 2020 Longines Final in Las Vegas, USA next April.
He’s planning to take in the next three legs of the Western European League at Basel (SUI), Leipzig (GER) and Amsterdam (NED) which all take place in rapid succession in January. “Tobago is out with a little injury for a few weeks so maybe Killer Queen will go to Basel”, he said this evening.
Today’s result was a special one for the man whose career highlights also include team bronze and individual ninth place at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and who finished just off the podium, in fourth place, at the 2019 Longines Final in Gothenburg (SWE).
His wife, Caroline, and the family are all involved in running the Mechelen event which is staged in memory of her late father, Eric Wauters. “And we live very close to the showgrounds, so a lot of our friends also come to the show expecting to see me win - in one way it’s a lot of pressure but in another way it’s also support from all my friends and the organisation as well. I’m really happy I could win here because I do it for them. I know how hard they work for this show so the win is not just for myself, but for everyone!” he said.
The next leg of the Western European League will take place in Basel (SUI) on Sunday 12 January 2020.
Result here
Standings here
The Netherlands’ Emmelie Scholtens and Desperado NOP took another step towards stardom with a superb victory in today’s seventh leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League at Mechelen in Belgium, where Portugal’s Maria Caetano (Coroado) finished second ahead of Spain’s Juan Matute Guimon (Quantico) in third.
The Dutch horse-and-rider partnership who competed at this summer’s FEI European Championships in Rotterdam (NED) have been showing rapid progress over the last few months, posting 76.283 for fourth place at round 2 of the 11-leg series in Lyon (FRA) at the beginning of November before rocketing up to 83.045 for sixth place in the Freestyle at the CDI5* in Stockholm (SWE) four weeks ago.
Today however they took it to a whole new level, scoring a personal-best 85.075 to put the result beyond doubt and raising expectations of what might be to come for the talented pair. They also topped yesterday’s Grand Prix, but the 34-year-old Dutch rider felt today’s performance was considerably improved. “Yesterday he was a bit tense in canter but today it was so much better - he was much more confident and relaxed”, Scholtens pointed out.
Spain’s Juan Matute Guimon set the bar high when putting 80.150 on the board just before the halfway break with the 13-year-old gelding Quantico. And the exciting 22-year-old rider was still out in front until Portugal’s Caetano overtook him with a great performance from her 12-year-old Lusitano stallion Coroado who scored 80.940 when fifth-last to go.
But, two horses later, Scholtens and her 11-year-old Dutch stallion threw down a spectacular performance with big marks, including a 10 for extended walk, bringing their tally beyond 85 percent which would be unbeatable on the day.
The power Desperado showed was immense, and Scholtens admitted it can sometimes prove challenging. “I’m happy he is such a big mover, he’s always been like that and it’s a good thing it hasn’t changed with training, but when you are doing 15 one-tempi changes in a row there’s a lot of horse under you! But he’s the sweetest boy ever - he’s a stallion but he doesn’t know it and he really is the perfect horse, he’s so kind and so workable”, she explained.
Caetano also achieved a personal-best today and was more than pleased. “I got my previous PB here last year!” she said. And she was very proud of Coroado who flew the flag for his breed with distinction this afternoon. “It is a pleasure to present a horse bred in my country, this is special for me and I am happy to show it to the public. Now we are getting nice results with Lusitanos!” she added.
Today’s result gave third-placed Juan Matute Guimon a real boost. “To get 80 percent at the last show of the year is great! This makes me close to my big dream which is Tokyo!” said the young man who has big Olympic ambitions.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are not far from the minds of any of the riders as 2019 draws to a close.
“I’m still thinking about the best way to go for 2020”, said Scholtens who has the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2020 Final in Las Vegas, USA next April in her sights. “I’d like to go to the Final, but Tokyo is also really important and I have only one Grand Prix horse so I’m not sure it’s possible to do both. However we are in a good rhythm now so we will compete in Amsterdam (NED) and ’s-Hertogenbosch (NED) to see if we qualify for Las Vegas, and then we’ll take it from there”, she said.
Scholtens now lies 13th on the Western European League from which the top nine will qualify for the Final. Fourth place with Sir Donnerhall today has moved French rider Morgan Barbancon Mestre into fifth on the leaderboard behind Scholtens’ compatriot Hans Peter Minderhoud in fourth and three Germans - Helen Langehanenberg, Frederic Wandres and Benjamin Werndl - at the head of affairs.
With four legs left to go, the WEL action will resume in Amsterdam (NED) on 25 January.
Result here
WEL Standings here
Watch highlights here
Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs scooped his second win of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League at the London International Horse Show at Olympia, London (GBR) this afternoon where Austria’s Max Kuhner lined up second ahead of Belgium’s Niels Bruynseels in third.
Partnering his top ride, the lightning-fast grey Clooney, Fuchs took the third leg in Lyon (FRA) by storm last month, and in today’s eighth round of the 14-leg series he galloped to victory with a stunning performance from The Sinner. He’s the reigning European champion, and looks set to take over the No. 1 spot on the Longines World Rankings as 2020 gets underway after an incredible run of recent form.
Today he also became the first Swiss winner of the Olympia leg of the FEI World Cup™ series in 29 years. The 27-year-old rider wasn’t even born when his father, Thomas Fuchs, stood top of the podium at the London fixture back in 1990.
Just six horse-and-rider combinations made it through to today’s jump-off, and Fuchs was fulsome in his praise of Irish course designer, Alan Wade. “The first round wasn’t crazy big, but Alan set a great course as he always does - it was another of his masterpieces!” the winning rider said.
It was definitely no walk-in-the-park, with the relatively small Olympia arena jam-packed with fences and an intense atmosphere in the packed Grand Hall adding to the pressure. Only six of the 37 starters qualified for the deciding round but it was a classic, Fuchs, who was second to go, putting it up to the rest with a great ride that saw him take a brave turn to the wall, now the fourth fence on the track, and a super-tight line to the penultimate oxer followed by a great gallop to the last. Throwing down a time of 31.99 seconds he then sat back and watched the remaining four give it their best.
Austria’s Max Kuhner followed with an extraordinary second clear from the hugely promising eight-year-old gelding Elektric Blue P, but their time of 33.83 seconds was no threat. However as German ace, and three-time FEI World Cup™ champion, Marcus Ehning set off with Cornado NRW he clearly meant business only to get too close to the penultimate oxer for four faults in 32.17 seconds.
Great Britain’s Scott Brash decided today was the day to put some jump-off pressure on his latest shining star, the 10-year-old Hello Jefferson, but when the second fence fell then there was only Niels Bruynseels and his 10-year-old Delux van T & L standing between Fuchs and victory. And for once things just didn’t go his way, none of the distances coming up nicely for the brilliant Belgian and his big horse with a long stride, so they stayed clear but had to settle for third place behind Kuhner in second and Fuchs at the head of affairs.
“I was early to go so I had to take all the risks to put the pressure on the others and everything worked perfectly today!” Fuchs said. He was of course delighted with The Sinner who belied his name this afternoon. “It was Denis Lynch (IRL) who gave him his name and he was already a good horse for Denis”, he explained. He’s had the 11-year-old gelding since the beginning of the year and they made their first major appearance together at CSIO Rome in May.
“At first I found him difficult to ride, but now we definitely have a better partnership, he has better rideabililty and we know each other a lot better now”, he pointed out. And The Sinner can look forward to some nice sunshine as he heads to Wellington, USA for the Winter Equestrian Festival with his rider in the new year.
Having moved into fourth place on the Western European League table after today’s brilliant result, Fuchs is now well qualified for the Longines 2020 Final in Las Vegas, USA next April and his biggest headache will be to decide which horse to take - his wonder-horse Clooney or his latest star, The Sinner. His uncle, Markus Fuchs, was runner-up at the series Final in Las Vegas in 2000 and was crowned champion with the great Tinka’s Boy the following year in Gothenburg, Sweden. Martin was runner-up to compatriot Steve Guerdat at the 2019 Final which was also staged in Gothenburg, so could history be about to repeat itself over the coming months?….
There are 18 qualifying spots on offer to riders in the Western European series and normally 40 points is enough to make the cut. As it stands tonight, and with six more qualifiers yet to go, the top five riders on the League table have more than enough points, defending champion Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat has 55 but anyway gains automatic qualification, Belgium’s Pieter Devos also has 55, today’s fifth placing for Great Britain’s Scott Brash leaves him with 47, Fuchs has 44 and Italy’s Emanuele Gaudiano is in fifth in the current standings with 43.
For the rest, the next opportunity to collect those precious points will be at the ninth leg of the series in Mechelen, Belgium on Monday 30 December.
Result here
Standings here
Watch highlights here
The International Horse Sports Confederation (IHSC) held its General Assembly on 7 December 2019 at the Hong Kong Jockey Club where the group elected a new President and received a number of important updates on its strategic projects, including the ongoing development of a new vaccine for African Horse Sickness (AHS).
Ingmar De Vos, President of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) was unanimously elected President of the IHSC for a two-year term. He had previously served as the IHSC’s Vice-President. Louis Romanet, past President of IHSC and Chairman of IFHA, was also elected as Vice-President of IHSC for a two-year term.
A Belgian native, De Vos has served as President of the FEI since 2014 after previously serving as the International Federation’s Secretary General. He has been a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since September 2017, where he is currently member of two Commissions, the Legal Affairs Commission and the Los Angeles 2028 Coordination Commission, while he has also served in the past as a member of the Digital and Technology Commission. He is a member of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) governance taskforce and since April 2019 he is also an ASOIF Council Member.
In early November 2018 he was appointed to the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) Council and as the GAISF representative on the 12-member World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Executive Committee. As of 1 January 2020, he will be the ASOIF representative on the WADA Executive Committee and Foundation Board. He is also on the board of the Belgian National Olympic Committee.
Following his election as IHSC President, Ingmar de Vos said:
“I’m extremely honored to be elected President of the IHSC and I would also like to thank our past President Louis Romanet for his dedication to the successful cooperation and information exchange between horse racing and equestrian sport through the IHSC. Under his leadership, the IHSC has continued the relationship with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the further development of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code and concepts that will facilitate horse movements such as the HHP Framework with the HHP Handbook and IHSC-OIE Regional Workshops for Temporary International Movement of Competition Horses. Besides this, further scientific research was done in the field of vaccines for AHS, Equine Influenza and Glanders, the adoption of revised international standards on equine diseases and other standards relevant to international movement of horses.
He continued:
“Our Confederation represents the peak bodies of our respective sports and I look forward to furthering the collective interests of our Federations in the areas of equine welfare, the international movement of horses, and collaboration with the OIE.”
Editors’ Notes
The IHSC was established in 2013 and brought together the international bodies for major horse sports:
The key missions of the IHSC include:
IFHA Chairman Louis Romanet was appointed as President of the IHSC in 2015, serving until 2019. Ingmar De Vos, President of the FEI, is the incoming President of the IHSC, having previously serving as Vice-President and will officially take office on 1 January 2020.
Other attendees at the meetings included, from the FEI: John McEwen, Senior Veterinary Advisor & Honorary Vice President; Claude Praz, Chief Financial Officer; and Dr Göran Akerström, Veterinary Director; and from the IFHA: Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Vice-Chairman; Andrew Harding, Executive Director; Dr Roland Devolz, Technical Advisor; James Ogilvy, Technical Advisor, and Andrew Chesser, Secretary General.
Photo caption : FEI President Ingmar De Vos was unanimously elected President of the IHSC for a two-year term at the IHSC General Assembly in Hong Kong earlier this month. He will officially take office on 1 January 2020. (FEI)
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 Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI now governs all international competitions for Para Dressage and Para Driving.
About IFHA
The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) is the world peak body for the international sport of Thoroughbred racing. Its members are the national racing authorities across the globe which stage Thoroughbred races.
Major areas of the IFHA’s activities include:
The IFHA is a foundation member with Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) of the International Horse Sports Confederation and is affiliated to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decision in a horse abuse case and four Final Decisions in cases involving Prohibited Substances.
The horse abuse case, which was opened by the FEI following a protest filed by Rosemary Sloan from Clean Endurance, involved the horse Romeo (FEI ID: 105BQ04/UAE). The FEI Tribunal confirmed that the athlete, Mohamed Ali Al Marzouqi (FEI ID: 10041488/UAE), had committed horse abuse during the CEI1* 100 in Abu Dhabi, Al Wathba (UAE) on 8 December 2018. In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal ruled that the athlete had committed horse abuse and suspended him for 12 months from the date of the Final Decision, 6 December 2019. He was also fined CHF 4,000 and ordered to pay CHF 1,000 towards legal costs.
The Final Decision on this case can be found here.
The first of the prohibited substances FEI Tribunal Decisions involved the athlete Khalifa Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri (FEI ID 10093885/UAE) who was riding the horse 8 Minute (FEI ID: 104BW22/UAE), which tested positive for the Banned Substance Nandrolone at the FEI Endurance World Championships for Young Riders and Juniors in Valeggio sul Mincio (ITA), 22-24 September 2017. The horse was provisionally suspended for two months as of the date of notification (28 November 2017). The FEI Tribunal accepted the agreement reached on 30 September 2019 between the FEI and Mr Al Jahouri. A two-year period of ineligibility, from 23 September 2017 to 22 September 2019, had already been served. In addition, all the results of the athlete from the date of sample collection on 23 September 2017 until the date of the provisional suspension (28 November 2017) were disqualified. Each of the parties will pay their own legal costs.
In connection to this case the FEI has also opened procedures against the registered trainer of 8 Minute, namely Mr Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri (FEI ID: 10014750/UAE). This trainer had already been involved in two other banned substance cases as the registered trainer.
The FEI Tribunal approved the agreement reached on 9 October 2019 between the FEI and the trainer Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri. The parties agreed that Mr Al Jahouri, who was provisionally suspended from 10 January 2018 until 7 February 2019 connected to the three banned substance cases had served the entire period of ineligibility. Each of the parties will pay their own legal costs.
The third FEI Tribunal Decision involved the horse Dalton des Hayettes (FEI ID: 104TD71/BEL), ridden by Pascal Van Laethem (FEI ID: 10044685/BEL), which had tested positive to the Banned Substance O-Desmethyltramadol at the CSI2* in Deauville (FRA), 15-18 June 2017.
The FEI Tribunal approved the agreement reached between the FEI and the athlete, reached on 21 October 2019. The period of ineligibility of the athlete was reduced to one year, as he demonstrated that he bore No Significant Fault or Negligence. As the athlete already served a Provisional Suspension from 7 August 2017 until 17 August 2018, which was credited in the final ineligibility period, there was no further suspension to be served. The horse was provisionally suspended for two months until 6 October 2017. All the results of the athlete and the horse at the event were disqualified. The athlete was ordered to pay a fine of CHF 3,000 and legal costs of CHF 500.
The fourth Final Decision involved the horse Sohair Des Bruyere (FEI ID: 104VK62/QAT), ridden by Elizaveta Minina (FEI ID: 10140497/RUS), which tested positive to the Banned Substance Testosterone at the CEI2* 120 in Doha Mesaieed (QAT) on 20 January 2018. The trainer of the horse was Hassan Khamis Mohammed A Al Shahwani (FEI ID: 10131286/QAT), admitted injecting the horse with the Testosterone. Separate proceedings has been initiated against the trainer of this horse.
The FEI Tribunal approved the agreement reached on 22 October 2019 between the FEI and the athlete. The athlete demonstrated that she bore No Significant Fault or Negligence and was suspended for 20 months from the date of notification on 5 March 2018 until 4 November 2019. The horse was provisionally suspended for two months until 4 May 2018. All the results of the athlete and the horse at the event were disqualified. The athlete was ordered to pay a fine of CHF 3,000 and legal costs of CHF 1,500.
The Final Decisions on these cases can be found here.
The parties can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days of receipt of the decisions.
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 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 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.
**Specified Substances
The FEI introduced the concept of Specified Substances in 2016. Specified Substances should not in any way be considered less important or less dangerous than other Prohibited Substances (i.e. whether Banned or Controlled). Rather, they are simply substances which are more likely to have been ingested by horses for a purpose other than the enhancement of sport performance, for example, through a contaminated food substance. Positive cases involving Specified Substances can be handled with a greater degree of flexibility within the structure of the FEI Regulations.
Information on all substances is available on the searchable FEI Equine Prohibited Substances Database.
The FEI has announced new adverse analytical findings (AAF) involving equine prohibited substances. The cases involve *Banned Substances under the FEI’s Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations (EADCMRs).
In the following case the athlete has been provisionally suspended from the date of notification until the FEI Tribunal renders its decision. The horse has been provisionally suspended for two months from the date of notification.
Horse: Chabello (FEI ID 104OU26/MEX)
Person Responsible: Bruno Cavalheiro Rebello (FEI ID 10018978/BRA)
Event: CSI2* - San Miguel de Allende (MEX), 03-06.10.2019
Prohibited Substance(s): Ractopamine
Date of Notification: 2 December 2019
In the next two cases, the athletes and the trainers have been provisionally suspended from the date of notification until the FEI Tribunal renders its decision. The horses have been provisionally suspended for two months from the date of notification.
Horse: Cybele De L'Oule (FEI ID 105VH42/UAE)
Person Responsible: Sh Tahnoon Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan (FEI ID 10093006/UAE)
Trainer: Mohd Salem Abdulla Al Ameri (FEI ID 10081586/UAE)
Event: CEI1* 80 - Bou Thib (UAE), 01-02.11.2019
Prohibited Substance(s): Arsenic, Flunixin
Date of Notification: 2 December 2019
Horse: Kassidy De Jansavis (FEI ID 104QP93/UAE)
Person Responsible: Omar Ibrahim Al Marzooqi (FEI ID 10137894/UAE)
Trainer: Abdul Kader Abdul Sattar (FEI ID 10032531/UAE)
Event: CEI2* 120 - Bou Thib (UAE), 01-02.11.2019
Prohibited Substance(s): Diisopropylamine
Date of Notification: 2 December 2019
In the following case the trainer has been provisionally suspended from the date of notification until the FEI Tribunal renders its decision.
Horse: ***N/A
Person Responsible: ***N/A
Trainer: Ahmed Salem Ali Bakheet Al Rashdi (FEI ID 10027984/UAE)
Event: CEI1* 80 - Bou Thib (UAE), 01-02.11.2019
Prohibited Substance(s): Strychnine, Phenylbutazone and Oxyphenbutazone
Date of Notification: 2 December 2019
*** No PR/Horse Name in cases involving Minors and/or Fast Track Procedures.
Details on these cases can be found 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 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 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.
**Specified Substances
The FEI introduced the concept of Specified Substances in 2016. Specified Substances should not in any way be considered less important or less dangerous than other Prohibited Substances (i.e. whether Banned or Controlled). Rather, they are simply substances which are more likely to have been ingested by horses for a purpose other than the enhancement of sport performance, for example, through a contaminated food substance. Positive cases involving Specified Substances can be handled with a greater degree of flexibility within the structure of the FEI Regulations.
Information on all substances is available on the searchable FEI Equine Prohibited Substances Database.
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