The FEI Tribunal issues Final Decision in two cases involving Prohibited Substances

The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decision in two cases involving Prohibited Substances.

In this case, the horse Blanch (FEI ID 107VD44/LTU), ridden by Nerijus Šipaila (FEI ID 10044738/LTU), at the CSIYH1* in Kunkiai (LTU) 25-28 August 2022, and the horse Cindy NSO (FEI ID 107XY33/LTU) ridden by Vilte Kasiulyte (FEI ID 10129107/LTU) at the CSIYH1* Vasgaikiemis (LTU) 1-4 September 2022, tested positive for the prohibited substances Morphine and Oripavine.

Both positive findings were initially treated as Atypical Findings under the FEI Atypical Findings Policy. Due to the failure of the athletes in establishing the source of the Prohibited Substances, at that point in time, the cases were pursued as Equine Anti-Doping Rule Violations following an ATF Panel’s Decision.  

Upon notification of the Rule Violations, both horses were provisionally suspended for 2 (two) months.

The FEI Tribunal was satisfied that the athletes established, on a balance of probabilities, that the Morphine and Oripavine entered the horses’ systems through oats contaminated with the poppy flowers of the Papaver species. In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal ruled that the athletes bear no fault or negligence for the rule violations and shall not incur any fines. The results of both athlete and horse combinations obtained at the Events, where the horses’ samples were collected, are 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 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 that 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.