Prohibited substance cases under FEI anti-doping rules

The FEI has announced two adverse analytical findings (AAF) involving two equine prohibited substances.

The cases involve two *Banned Substances under the FEI’s Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations (EADCMRs).

The first case involves Ergonovine, which is also designated as a **Specified Substance.

As Specified Substances may enter a horse’s system inadvertently, due to a credible non-doping explanation, the FEI and/or the FEI Tribunal have more flexibility when prosecuting a case or when making a sanctioning decision.

Horse: Su Rai (FEI ID 105IR91/ITA)
Person Responsible: Antonello Mulas (FEI ID 10115574/ITA)
Event: CEI2* 120 - Follonica (ITA), 16-18.11.2018
Prohibited Substance: Ergonovine
Date of Notification: 7 January 2019

In this case, the athlete was not provisionally suspended at this stage of the procedure. The horse has been provisionally suspended for two months from the date of notification until 6 March 2019.

In the second case the athlete has been provisionally suspended from the date of notification until the FEI Tribunal renders its decisions. The horse has been provisionally suspended for two months from the date of notification until 14 March 2019:

Horse: Soda (FEI ID 104PY45/UAE)
Person Responsible: Ayed Sauod Alosaimi (FEI ID 10048137/KSA)
Event: CEI1* 80 - Al Qaseem (KSA), 01.12.2018
Prohibited Substance: Boldione, Boldenone
Date of Notification: 15 January 2019

Details on both cases can be found 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.

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.

**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 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.