FEI Tribunal issues final decisions on prohibited substance cases

The FEI Tribunal has issued its final decisions on three cases involving horses competing in Endurance events at Doha, Mesaieed (QAT) in November last year. The three horses all tested positive to Diisopropylamine, a vasodilator used in the treatment of peripheral and cerebral vascular disorders, which is a *Banned Substance under the FEI’s Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations (EADCMRs).

The three athletes (listed below) have each been suspended for a period of two years, effective from 8 February 2017. The FEI Tribunal also imposed a fine of 2,000 CHF and contribution of 1,000 CHF towards legal costs on each of the athletes.

In addition, the trainer of all three horses, Waleed Said Khalfan Al Saa’di (FEI ID 10113272/QAT), has been suspended for a period of 30 months, effective from 9 February 2017. The FEI Tribunal also imposed a fine of 3,000 CHF and contribution of 1,500 CHF towards legal costs.

Horse: Tarifa (FEI ID POR02414/QAT)
Person Responsible: Matter Said Khalfan Al Saadi (FEI ID 10146908/OMA)
Event: CEI1*80 Doha, Mesaieed (QAT), 07.01.2017
Prohibited Substance: Diisopropylamine
Support Personnel: Waleed Said Khalfan Al Saa’di (FEI ID 10113272/QAT)

Horse: R S Nube Blanca (FEI ID 104DP13/ARG/QAT)
Person Responsible: Gaje Singh Hari Singh (FEI ID 10113174/IND)
Event: CEI2*120 Doha, Mesaieed (QAT) 19.11.2016
Prohibited Substance: Diisopropylamine
Support Personnel: Waleed Said Khalfan Al Saa’di (FEI ID 10113272/QAT)

Horse: Aqua Vela (FEI ID 104PE12/QAT)
Person Responsible: Maryam Ahmad S A Al Boinin (FEI ID 10115570/QAT)
Event: CEIYJ1*90 Doha, Mesaieed (QAT) 19.11.2016
Prohibited Substance: Diisopropylamine
Support Personnel: Waleed Said Khalfan Al Saa’di (FEI ID 10113272/QAT)

The three athletes and the trainer have 21 days to appeal these decisions to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) from the date of notification (21 September 2017). Further details on the FEI Tribunal decisions can be found here.

The FEI has also announced an adverse analytical finding involving the sedative Clomethiazole, a banned substance on the FEI’s Prohibited Substances List.

Horse: Adventure E (FEI ID 104CT35/USA)
Person Responsible: Colin Syquia (FEI ID 10040002/PHI)
Event: SEA Games-S – Kuang Rawang (MAS) 25.08.2017 – 28.08.2017
Prohibited substance: Clomethiazole

The athlete has been provisionally suspended from the date of notification (21 September 2017). Additionally, the horse has been provisionally suspended for two months. Further details can be found here.

Information on substances is available on the searchable FEI Equine Prohibited Substances Database.

*Notes to Editors:

The FEI’s 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.

In the case of an adverse analytical finding for a Banned Substance, the Person Responsible (PR) is automatically provisionally suspended from the date of notification. The horse is suspended for two months. In the case of a positive for a specified substance, provisional suspension is not automatic.

The FEI has also introduced the concept of Specified Substances. Specified Substances should not in any way be considered less important or less dangerous than other Prohibited Substances. 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.