FEI Tribunal issues Final Decision in equine anti-doping case

The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decision in a case involving Prohibited Substances.

The horse Gucci (FEI ID 106GE04/MEX), ridden by Jefferson Martins Maquieira (FEI ID 10027611/MEX), tested positive for the Banned Substances Boldenone and the related compound Boldienone following samples taken at the CSI2* in San Miguel de Allende (MEX), 3-6 October 2019.

The athlete, who had a strict anti-doping protocol in place, stated that Boldenone was contained in the product Equigan, which was given to the horse against the Athlete’s specific instructions on at least two occasions by the horse’s owners and their employee (at the owners’ request), as it was thought that this product would improve the semen quality of the stallion.

In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal approved the agreement reached between the athlete and the FEI, stating the athlete bears no significant fault or negligence for the Rule violation.

The horse and athlete have been disqualified from the event, and a one-year ineligibility period has been imposed on the athlete starting from the date of the Final Decision (25 January 2021). The Provisional Suspension of the athlete, which came into effect on 22 January 2020, is credited against the period of ineligibility imposed in the decision, meaning the athlete is now eligible to compete. The Athlete was also fined CHF 1,500.

The full Decision is available here.

Separately, the FEI has announced a new adverse analytical finding (AAF) involving equine Prohibited Substances. The case involves a *Banned Substance under the FEI’s Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations (EADCMRs).

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 2021/BS01

Horse: GISELE III PARISOL (106PY18/POR)

Person Responsible: Rafael Dinis (FEI ID 10046681/POR)

Event: CSIO3* - Vilamoura (POR), 16-19.11.2020

Prohibited Substance(s): Nandrolone

Date of notification: 12 January 2021

Details on this case 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.