FEI Tribunal issues Final Decision in equine anti-doping case

The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decision in an equine anti-doping case involving a Banned Substance.

In this case, the horse Full Option du Borget (FEI ID 106UY09/NED), ridden by Agustin Covarrubias (FEI ID 10032966/CHI), tested positive for the Banned Substance O-Desmethylvenlafaxine, a metabolite of Venlafaxine, following the analysis of the samples taken at the CSIYH1* incl. 8yo - Opglabbeek (BEL), 15-18.06.2022.

The athlete was able to trace the probable source of the Banned Substance in the horse’s system back to human cross-contamination caused by himself. He had been prescribed Venlafaxine by his doctor in May 2022 and had urinated in the box of the horse several times at the event, which was very likely to account for the positive sample.

In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal accepted the agreement reached between the FEI and the athlete, according to which the athlete had clearly established on a balance of probabilities, how the Banned Substance 0- Desmethylvenlafaxine entered the Horse’s system. Therefore, the period of ineligibility imposed on the athlete shall be eliminated. The athlete will also not incur any fines, however the results obtained at the event remain 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.