Interim Decision of the FEI Judicial Committee

A panel of the FEI Judicial Committee held a hearing on 29 June 2005 in London (GBR) in the matter concerning Michael Freund. His mare, Mary 64, had tested positive to valerenic acid as a result of initial and confirmatory analyses performed after the 2004 World Driving Championship in Kecskemet (HUN).

The Judicial Committee accepted the evidence that the horse Mary 64 was allowed to graze in a field next to the event, which contained Centranthus ruber plants. According to expert evidence presented by Mr Freund, the leafage of this plant contains valerenic acid.

Considering the lack of current scientific evidence with respect to levels of valerenic acid produced by the Centranthus ruber plant and the likelihood of such a plant to produce positive test results when ingested by a horse, the Judicial Committee decided to adjourn the hearing to September and recommended to the parties that one or more controlled tests be conducted on horses in the meantime with a view to making a determination on this issue.

The full text of the Judicial Committee’s interim decision in this matter is available on the FEI website.

Note to the editor:
Michael Freund won the individual gold medal at the 2004 World Driving Championship in August 2004 in Kecskemet (HUN).

Present at the hearing:
FEI Judicial Committee Panel
- Erik Elstad
- Ken Lalo (Chairman)
- Philip O’Connor

For the FEI:
- Alexander McLin, Head of the FEI Legal Department
- Annie Cormier, FEI Legal Counsel
- Frits Sluyter, Head of the FEI Veterinary Department

For the Person Responsible:
- Michael Freund, Person Responsible
- Dr Dietrich Plewa, Attorney
- Dr Bernhard Pötsch, Medical Doctor
- Thorsten Zarembowicz, Groom