FEI Tribunal issues Final Decisions in equine and human anti-doping cases

The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decisions in a number of equine and human anti-doping cases.

The first case involves an adverse analytical finding for the prohibited substance Furosemide, a diuretic listed in Class S5, Diuretics and Masking Agents, in the 2019 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.

A sample taken from the Finnish athlete Jaana Kivimäki (FEI ID 10046626/FIN) on 1 October 2019 during the CPEDI3* Lisbon (POR) returned positive for Furosemide. The athlete was notified of the violation of the FEI’s Anti-Doping Rules for Human Athletes (ADRHA) on 2 December 2019. She was not provisionally suspended, as the substance in the Athlete’s Sample is a Specified Substance.

In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal approved the agreement reached between the Athlete and the FEI in which it was stated that the athlete bears no significant fault or negligence for the rule violation. The athlete had been prescribed Furosemide by her doctor, but due to lack of anti-doping education was unaware that she needed to apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) prior to competing internationally.  

The athlete is suspended for a period of two months, starting from the date of the FEI Tribunal Final Decision (7 December 2020).

Additionally, the athlete has been disqualified from all results obtained at the event and fined CHF 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.

The second case involves the horse Victotop Occitan (FEI ID 105EV49/UAE), trained by Ghanim Mohd Al Marri (FEI ID 10048641/UAE). Samples taken from the horse at the CEI2* 120 – Bou Thib (UAE) on 13 December 2019 tested positive for the Banned Substance Testosterone.

The trainer of the horse was unable to give any plausible explanation for the presence of the Prohibited Substance in the horse’s sample.

In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal imposed a two-year Period of Ineligibility on the trainer. The Provisional Suspension, which came into effect on 20 February 2020, is credited against the Period of Ineligibility imposed in the decision, meaning the trainer will be ineligible until 19 February 2022. He was also fined CHF 7,500 and asked to pay costs of CHF 2,000.

The parties can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days of receipt of the decision (15 December 2020).
The full text of the FEI Tribunal’s Final Decision is available here.

Separately, the FEI has announced new adverse analytical findings (AAF) involving equine prohibited substances. The cases involve *Banned Substance and a Controlled Medication Substance under the FEI’s Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations (EADCMRs).

In the following Endurance case, the athlete and the trainer have been provisionally suspended until the FEI Tribunal renders its decision. The horse has been provisionally suspended for two months from the date of notification.

Case 2020/BS12:
Horse: GER ASHIR (103UH98/KSA)
Person Responsible: Odai Alqurashi (FEI ID 10203848/KSA)
Trainer: Munir Alfaqeih (FEI ID 10062545/KSA)
Event: CEI1*100 - Riyadh (KSA), 06-07.11.2020
Prohibited Substance(s): Diisopropylamine
Date of notification: 9 December 2020

In the following Jumping case, the athlete has been provisionally suspended until the FEI Tribunal renders its decision. The horse has been provisionally suspended for two months from the date of notification.

* Case 2020/BS13
Horse: YAYA (105CF05/KSA)
Person Responsible: Abdulrahman Alrajhi (FEI ID 10048311/KSA)
Event: CSI3*-W - Riyadh (KSA), 18-21.11.2020
Prohibited Substance(s): Diisopropylamine
Date of notification: 14 December 2020

In the following Endurance case, involving the Controlled Medication Substance Lidocaine, the trainer has been provisionally suspended until the FEI Tribunal renders its decision as this is a second violation of the ECM Regulations. The athlete, however, is not suspended and has the possibility to accept the administrative procedure within 14 days of the date of notification.

** Case 2020/FT23:
Horse: GARIF (106RE57/RUS)
Person Responsible: Ekaterina Vasilyeva (FEI ID 10153650/RUS)
Trainer: Mukhamed Kalov (FEI ID 10058061/RUS)
Event: CEI2*120 - Moscow, Otrada (RUS), 24-26.09.2020
Prohibited Substance(s): Lidocaine
Date of notification: 15 December 2020

Details on these cases can be found here.

* Following further review, and in accordance with Article 7.1.3 (ii) of the EAD Rules, the FEI has decided that there is no EAD Rule violation, and will not proceed with this case.

** The Russian National Federation has confirmed to the FEI that Mukhamed Kalov was incorrectly listed as the trainer of the horse Garif due to an administrative error. Following further investigation, the FEI has confirmed that Mr Kalov had no link whatsoever with the horse and, as a result, the provisional suspension imposed on the trainer has now been lifted.

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.

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.