FEI Tribunal issues three Final Decisions in three human anti-doping cases

The FEI Tribunal has issued three Final Decisions in three human anti-doping cases involving the substance Carboxy-THC, a metabolite of Cannabis which is a Prohibited Substance under the FEI’s Anti-Doping Rules for Human Athletes (ADRHA).   

In the first two cases, urine samples taken from the Qatari Jumping athletes Sheikh Ali Al Thani (FEI ID 10024194), and Bassem Mohammed (FEI ID 10082635) at the CSIO4*-W Designated Olympic Qualifier for Group F - Rabat (MAR), 10-13 October 2019, tested positive for the Prohibited Substance. In the third case, a urine sample taken from the Egyptian Jumping athlete Mohamed Talaat (FEI ID 10021782) at the African Games-S - Rabat (MAR) 20-24 August 2019, also tested positive for Carboxy-THC.

All athletes denied that they knowingly smoked, inhaled or otherwise used Cannabis during the Event. To all three, the only plausible explanation for the Adverse Analytical Finding of Carboxy-THC and the values detected, was due to an inadvertent exposure to Cannabis during their visits to their hotel’s shisha bar in Rabat. To FEI Tribunal, the athletes had failed to establish the source of the Carboxy-THC, and hence applied the standard sanction for Specified Substances.  

As Carboxy-THC is a *Specified Substance banned in competition under the 2019 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List, there is no mandatory provisional suspension imposed by the FEI, however, the athletes had the option to request a voluntary provisional suspension be imposed on them, but chose not to.

In its three Final Decisions, the FEI Tribunal imposed a two-year ineligibility period on each athlete, effective from 17 June 2021, meaning, each athlete will be ineligible until 16 June 2023. Each athlete was also fined CHF 7,500 and Mr Mohammed and Mr Talaat were each asked to pay costs of CHF 2,000.

The results of all athletes as of 17 June 2021 are disqualified. For Mr Talaat this includes his results obtained at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, resulting in the disqualification of team Egypt from the Jumping Team Competition.

The parties can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days of receipt of the decision.  

The full decision for Sheikh Ali Al Thani can be found here.

The full decision for Bassem Mohammed can be found here.

The full decision for Mohamed Talaat can be found here.

* 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.

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.