Athletes are the Person Responsible (PR) for the horse and carry the ultimate responsibility for them. This includes legal proceedings should your horse test positive. Members of your support team may be held liable in addition to you.

Anything that is included in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)’s List of Prohibited Substances and Methods (“the List”)  is prohibited. The list is updated at least annually and the 2024 Prohibited List is in force for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Substances that have a similar chemical structure or biological effect to those listed are also prohibited. If you are tested and your sample is positive for one of the substances on the List this will be considered as an anti-doping rule violation unless you hold a corresponding Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). Remember that under the principle of Strict Liability, the athlete is solely responsible for everything they use and that is found in their bodily specimen (e.g. urine, blood) regardless of whether there was an intention to cheat or not or if the athlete is at fault.

In addition to testing positive for a prohibited substance, there are 10 other categories of anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs). Seven (7) of these anti-doping rule violations can be committed not only by athletes but also by other persons, including athlete support personnel.

The 11 categories of anti-doping rule violations are:

Presence

(An athlete tests positive for a prohibited substance)

​Use

(An athlete uses or tries to use a prohibited substance or method).

Evading sample collection

(An athlete does not go to the Doping Control Station when notified for testing, or refuses to take a test, or does not provide a complete sample).

Whereabouts failures

(A Registered Testing Pool athlete is not where they said they will be in their 60-minute time slot (Missed Test), or does not submit their whereabouts on time, or submits incomplete or wrong information Filing Failure)). Any combination of three Whereabouts failures (Filing Failure and/or Missed Test) with in a 12-month period may constitute an ADRV.

Tampering

(An athlete or other person interferes with the testing or doping control process, including during the prosecution of a case).

Possession

(An athlete or athlete support personnel has a prohibited substance in their possession).

Administration to an athlete

(An athlete or other person gives or tries to give a prohibited substance to an athlete).

The FEI publishes the Equine Prohibited Substances List Any substance featured on the list must not be present in the horse’s body during the FEI On-site Jurisdiction Period.

Substances that have a similar chemical structure or biological effect are also prohibited.

Care must be taken to ensure that prohibited substances are not still present in the horse’s body following an earlier treatment and that any feeds, supplements or topical preparations used do not contain prohibited substances.

You can find out how to check if a substance can be used here. The FEI also publishes an online educational course on equine prohibited substance which can be accessed here.

The Equine Prohibited Substances List is also produced as a database and a mobile app.

It is not only a positive test that can result in an EADCM violation. Any of the following actions    may result in legal proceedings and the possibility of disqualification and loss of medals:

Refusing to submit the horse for sampling when selected.

Possession of a banned substance.

Tampering with any part of the sampling equipment and process.

Reminder: as an athlete, you are strictly liable for any prohibited substance found in your system, regardless as to how it got there or whether you had any intention to cheat. This principle is called "strict liability". 

If you use a prohibited substance without having received a corresponding TUE, you will be liable if you test positive for the substance in question.

If you test positive, you (and all of your team members in the case of a team competition) will lose your medals and be disqualified.

Depending on the anti-doping rule violation, consequences and sanctions may include: results disqualification, ineligibility and exclusion from the Games. Consequences and sanctions (which can also be beyond the Games and include a ban from all sport) will be made public.

If your horse tests positive, you (and all of your team members in the case of a team competition) will lose your medals and be disqualified.

Further information can be found in the Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations.

1.

Take the Paris 2024 anti-doping online course, available in many languages, on WADA’s ADEL platform. This course, covering key clean sport topics and Games-specific information. is essential for you if you are an athlete or athlete support personnel going to Paris 2024.

2.

Participate in the ITA’s Paris 2024 clean sport webinar on 30 May (delivered in English with simultaneous translation in Arabic, French, Russian and Spanish). Register here to attend live, or watch the recording on the ITA’s You Tube Channel.

3.

Read the IOC (International Olympic Committee)’s anti-doping rules for Paris 2024 and the athlete guide for clean sport at Paris 2024 page on the ITA website.

4.

Participate in any Pre-Games anti-doping education programmes coordinated by your National Olympic Committee (NOC) and/or National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO).

5.

Follow the steps indicated in this Guide’s “Pre-Arrival To-Do List” (see next section).

1.

Work closely with your team veterinarian before and during the Olympic Games. The lead up to the competition is an important time for ensuring your horse is free from prohibited substances.

2.

You can only access the stables at night if you are accompanied by an FEI Steward.

3.

Veterinary Forms need to be filled in should your horse need treatment and permission must be granted by the Veterinary Commission before your horse is treated.

4.

Horses cannot be treated in their individual stable/box during the Olympic Games. Treatment boxes must be used unless the Veterinary Commission has given you permission otherwise.

5.

Don’t be afraid of asking questions – there are many people on hand to help and advice and information is available on the FEI Clean Sport website.

1. Medication check

With your team doctor’s or NADO’s help, review all existing or foreseen medical treatments against WADA’s 2024 Prohibited List. Remember that substances and methods can be prohibited at all times or only during the in-competition period (and that substances prohibited in-competition must have left your system by this time). Medications that require a prescription, and those that can be bought over the counter, and recreational drugs can contain substances included on the Prohibited List, whilst some substances are also prohibited at certain doses and by certain routes of administration. Some brands of medication can have different active ingredients when bought in different countries, so be extra careful when travelling internationally.

Apply for a TUE if you need to use a substance or method on the prohibited list for health reasons (see section two below for further details on TUEs).

List all the medications you will need to have with you in Paris. Some medications require an import permission – liaise with your NOC for further information.

Remember the principle of Strict Liability as described in the “What is Prohibited” section earlier.

2. Paris 2024 Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) process and timelines

If the athlete already has a TUE there is no need to formally request recognitions, as all previously existing TUEs will be reviewed in advance of the Games (for further details refer to Article 4.4 of the IOC Anti-Doping Rules for Paris 2024).  If an IF or NADO granted TUE is not available on ADAMs then the Athlete shall submit such TUE to the Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee (TUEC) at tue@ita.sport for recognition at least 30 days before the start of the Period of the Olympic Games.

If the athlete needs to obtain a new TUE:

- The responsible organisation (IF or NADO) is in charge of TUE management and their procedures need to be followed. In order to find out which organisation is responsible, please refer to the TUE page on the Inside.FEI.org.

- FEI TUE contact: tue@ita.sport.

If the need to obtain a TUE arises during the Olympic Games, i.e. a medical situation occurs during the Games, Athletes need to obtain a new TUE and must proceed as follows:

- Apply to the ITA’s TUE office located in the polyclinic of the Olympic Village (booking an appointment is advised).

- Fill in the TUE Application form.

- Sign it and have it signed by your physician, and gather all the necessary supporting medical documentation.

- Bring these to your appointment.

OR

- Submit the form and the supporting documentation directly in ADAMs, if you are familiar with the process.

For Games-time TUE support, call 0041 21 612 12 72. A French number will be provided during the Games.

Full information on the latest and most up to date information on the TUE process during the Games can be found here.

3. Supplements

As an athlete, it is crucial to approach supplement use with extreme caution. Using supplements is risky, as no guarantee can be given that a supplement is free from prohibited substances (supplements may be mislabeled, contaminated, or contain false claims). For example, manufacturing standards for supplements are less strict compared with medications. You can read more about this on Inside.FEI.org and on the ITA Athlete Hub.

4. Whereabouts

Whereabouts are information provided by a number of top elite athletes about their location so they can be subject to no-notice testing. Whereabouts information is uploaded onto a secure platform and can only be accessed by authorised persons acting on behalf of anti-doping organisations.

All athletes included in testing pools (e.g., Registered Testing Pool or Testing Pool) during the Games period must continue to maintain accurate and up-to-date whereabouts information as is normally required, including accommodation details whilst in France (e.g., block and room numbers if staying in the Athletes’ Village).

For athletes not included in a testing pool, the ITA, on behalf of the IOC, requires NOCs to provide whereabouts information during the Games period, including travel schedules, accommodation details and training schedules.

ITA Whereabouts tutorials can be accessed here.

You can check your horse is free from prohibited substances before you travel to Paris by carrying out Pre-Arrival Testing.

Samples submitted to the Pre-Arrival Testing programme will be analysed in exactly the same way as those taken during the Games.

Find out how to submit a sample via your NF.

Here is a short video to give you an overview of the testing procedure.

Once notified for testing, you must report immediately to the Doping Control Station, unless you are granted a delay to do so after authorisation of the Doping Control Officer. At the Olympic Games, a delay may be granted to an equestrian athlete in the following cases:

Competing again in further competitions or completing a training session:

1. The athlete qualifies for the jump-off and will compete again very soon (sometimes within the next few minutes) and notification should take place after the second performance.
2. The athlete competes again in further competitions.
3. The athlete must perform or complete a training session. Training sessions are essential for the horse and are part of the schedule for the day. They cannot be skipped or moved to another time without causing disruption.

Performing a cool down (athletes may take their horse for a cool down in the training area following competition).

Obtaining necessary medical treatment.

Locating a representative and/or interpreter.

Obtaining photo identification.

Making necessary arrangements for the care of the horse, including accompanying the horse in the stables or to the veterinary clinic.

Having to attend a horse inspection, including accompanying the horse to the veterinary clinic.

In Eventing, to walk the Cross-Country course if there is no other possibility to do it at another time.

Take a shower under the following exceptional circumstances: need to clean a gaze due to injury (or as part of other medical treatment), if visibly dirty (e.g., covered in mud), or need to perform an official duty.

Any other exceptional circumstance which can be justified, and which shall be documented by the Chaperone or Doping Control Officer.

Here is a short video to give you an overview of the testing procedure.

It is not necessary for the athlete to accompany the horse to the testing boxes. The athlete may ask any designated person to accompany the horse. e.g. groom, team veterinarian.

Once selected for testing the horse can be cooled down, untacked and washed off before being taken to the testing boxes.

Water can be brought to the testing boxes for your horse, but bringing feed or hay is not permitted.

18 April 2024
(start of the “Pre-Games Period”)

The IOC, or the International Testing Agency (ITA) on its behalf, can test athletes from this date.

18 July 2024
(start of the Games period)

11 August 2024

Paris 2024 Closing Ceremony

Eventing: 24 July 2024 until the end of the last Eventing Competition.

Dressage: 26 July 2024 until the end of the last Dressage Competition.

Jumping: 30 July 2024 until the end of the last Jumping Competition.

If you have questions before arriving in Paris, please contact Catherine Bollon, Athlete Services & Human Anti-Doping Advisor: catherine.bollon@fei.org.

If you have any questions or need any advice while competing in Paris, consult your team doctor in the first instance. For further help, you and your team doctor can obtain advice from the FEI Chief Medical Officer (Dr Holger Holtschmit) at the Clinic.

Representatives from the FEI Legal Department will also be on site and available for advice:
Mikael Rentsch, FEI Legal Director: mikael.rentsch@fei.org (+ 41 78 750 61 24)
Áine Power, FEI Deputy Legal Director: aine.power@fei.org (+ 41 78 750 61 55)

If you have questions before arriving in Paris, please contact Caterina Termine, FEI Senior Veterinary Advisor: caterina.termine@fei.org.

If you have any questions or need any advice while competing in Paris, consult your team veterinarian in the first instance. Should you require further help, you and your team veterinarian can obtain advice from your discipline’s Veterinary Commission.

A representative from the FEI Veterinary Department will be available for advice: Caterina Termine, FEI Senior Veterinary Advisor: caterina.termine@fei.org (+41 78 750 61 48)

Doping & Medication Control Guide

Guide de contrôle du dopage et des médicaments

Leitfaden zur Doping-und-Medikamentenkontrolle

ドーピング＆薬物管理ガイド
 

دليل تعاطي الأدوية والمنشطات

兴奋剂和药物控制指南

Guía de control de dopaje y medicamentos