Tag Archives: FEI Tribunal

FEI, Show Jumping

FEI Tribunal Dismisses Athlete Appeals on Villeneuve-Loubet Decision

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An appeal against the FEI decision to annul results from competitions held in France where Olympic and Longines Ranking points were on offer has been dismissed by the FEI Tribunal.

The appeals by Sri Lanka’s Mathilda Karlsson and Romanian athlete Andrea Herck, which were consolidated by the FEI Tribunal, resulted from the international governing body’s decision in February of this year to retrospectively remove six competitions from three FEI Jumping Events held in Villeneuve-Loubet in December 2019 and a further six competitions from three events at the same venue in January 2020.

The decision was based on the findings from an investigation launched by the FEI after concerns were raised about the integrity of these events. The investigation established that, contrary to the FEI Rules (Article 110.2.3 of the FEI General Regulations), two competitions counting for the Olympic and Longines Rankings were added at each of the three December 2019 events after the respective Definite Entries deadlines. The updated Schedules for these events were submitted by the French National Federation and were mistakenly approved by the FEI.

As a result, and in accordance with Article 112.3 of the FEI General Regulations, the FEI retrospectively removed these additional competitions, meaning that athletes who participated lost their ranking points from these competitions. The decision meant that the Olympic and Longines Rankings were updated, resulting in Mathilda Karlsson dropping from second to seventh in the Group G Olympic Rankings and Sri Lanka losing its Olympic individual quota slot.

Additionally, the FEI established that three of the six events at Villeneuve-Loubet in January 2020 also had two classes counting for Longines Rankings points added after the Definite Entries deadline, again contrary to the FEI Rules. As a result, these additional competitions were also removed retrospectively and athletes that participated lost their ranking points for these competitions. Andrea Herck’s appeal was based on the loss of Longines Ranking points following the removal of the additional competitions at Villeneuve-Loubet.

In its Final Decision, the Tribunal found that the integrity of the sport had been jeopardised and therefore ruled that “justified circumstances” existed which allowed the FEI Secretary General to make the decision to remove the competitions and annul the Olympic and Longines ranking points from these competitions.

The FEI Tribunal, which is an independent body, ruled that the FEI’s decision of 17 February 2020 to remove the competitions was “rightfully taken” and dismissed the appeals. Each party will pay their own costs in the proceedings.

“This is an important decision to ensure the integrity of the sport, and particularly the Olympic and Longines Rankings,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said.

The parties have 21 days from the date of notification (16 June 2020) to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The full Decision is available here.

FEI media contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Communications
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 787 506 142

Olga Nikolaou
Media Relations Officer
olga.nikolaou@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 56

Eventing/H.T., FEI, Show Jumping

FEI Tribunal Issues Final Decisions on Autumn Crocus Cases

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The FEI Tribunal has issued Final Decisions in two cases involving the prohibited substance Demecolcine after hearing that the presence of this substance can be the result of contamination due to the ingestion of the flower Colchicum Autumnale, commonly known as autumn crocus.

These cases involve the horses Inception 2 (FEI ID 105CF31) ridden by German athlete Felix Etzel (FEI ID 10031843) at the CCI1* in Wiener Neustadt, Milak (AUT) and Finest Quality V&K (FEI ID 105DG03) ridden by Lebanese athlete Emile Karim Fares (FEI ID 10005907) at the CSI3* in Eindhoven (NED). Samples were taken from both horses in May 2017.

Demecolcine, which was previously a Banned Substance* on the FEI Equine Prohibited Substances List, was reclassified as a Specified Substances** on 1 January 2018. There is no known use for Demecolcine in veterinary medicine and the alkaloids of the autumn crocus are all highly toxic.

The athletes were able to prove to the FEI Tribunal that the substance had entered the horses’ systems through ingesting hay that had been contaminated by autumn crocus.

The athletes also established that they bore no fault or negligence for the rule violation and, as a result, the Tribunal ruled that no further sanctions should be imposed, other than the automatic disqualification of the horse and athlete from the competitions.

The athletes have 21 days to appeal these decisions to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) from the date of notification, 20 July 2018.

FEI Prohibited Substances

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.

**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. 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. In the case of a positive for a Specified Substance, provisional suspension is not automatic.

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Press Relations
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 787 506 142

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Endurance Riding, FEI

FEI Tribunal Issues Final Decision

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Lausanne (SUI), 8 June 2018 – The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decision in a case involving Ergonovine, a *Banned Substance under the FEI’s Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations (EADCMRs).

Uruguayan Endurance athlete Victoria Goñi (FEI ID 10042167) has been suspended for two years following the adverse analytical finding in samples taken from the horse El Mate (FEI ID 104XI43/URU) at the CEI2* 120 in Trinidad (URU) on 4 February 2017.

The athlete has been provisionally suspended since 5 April 2017, the date of notification of the positive result and, following the Final Decision, the period of ineligibility will run through to 4 April 2019.

The athlete has also been fined 3,000 CHF and will contribute 1,500 CHF towards the cost of the judicial procedure.

The Decision can be appealed before the Court of Arbitration for Sport within 21 days from the date the decision was rendered/notified (7 June 2017).

FEI Prohibited Substances

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.

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Press Relations
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 787 506 142

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

FEI

Settlements Agreed in Three Human Anti-Doping Cases

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Lausanne (SUI), 28 May 2018 – The FEI Tribunal has ratified agreements in three human anti-doping cases between the athletes and the FEI, global governing body for equestrian sport.

The three US athletes, who were tested at the Ocala-Reddick CCI in Florida (USA) last November, were provisionally suspended from 21 December 2017, the date of notification of their adverse analytical findings under the FEI Anti-Doping Rules for Human Athletes (ADRHA).

Samples taken from the athletes – Alyssa Phillips (FEI ID 10047498), Hannah Burnett (FEI ID 10007210), and Jennie Brannigan (FEI ID: 10013055) – all returned positive for Amfetamine. In addition, Alyssa Phillips’ sample contained Canrenone, and the sample taken from Jennie Brannigan also included Methylphenidate and Ritalinic Acid.

Under the terms of the settlements, a one-year period of ineligibility will be imposed on the athletes from the date of sample collection, 18 November 2017. The athletes will each pay a fine of CHF 1,500, and their results from the competition will be disqualified. Each of the parties will bear their own legal costs.

Additionally, the athletes are required to support the FEI in its anti-doping campaign and to actively engage in athlete education, including providing testimonials for FEI education material. And the athletes must complete an anti-doping education course within one year of the FEI Tribunal’s final decision.

“All three athletes were able to prove no significant fault or negligence and the circumstances of the cases show that none of them had the intention to dope,” FEI Legal Director Mikael Rentsch said. “In light of this, and the fact that the athletes have subsequently been granted Therapeutic Use Exemptions for these medications, the parties agreed that the period of ineligibility should be reduced to 12 months, and the FEI Tribunal has approved that.”

In accordance with the WADA Code, the FEI has notified WADA and the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) of the FEI Tribunal decisions.

The full decisions are available here.

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).

The List comes into effect on 1 January of each year.

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.

Media contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Communications
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Shannon Gibbons
Media Relations and Communications Manager
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

FEI

Prohibited Substance Case under FEI Anti-Doping Rules

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Lausanne (SUI), 6 July 2017 – The FEI has announced an adverse analytical finding involving a prohibited substance.

The new case involves the use of Stanozolol, an anabolic steroid, which is a Banned Substance under the FEI’s Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations (EADCMRs).

Horse: Shiners Chic (FEI ID 103DF20/GBR)
Person Responsible: Jessica Sternberg (FEI ID 10055844/GBR)
Event: CRI3* – Katy, Texas (USA), 20-21.04.2017
Prohibited Substance: Stanozolol

The athlete has been provisionally suspended from the date of notification (5 July 2017) until the FEI Tribunal renders a decision. The horse has been provisionally suspended for two months.

FEI Media Contact:

Shannon Gibbons
Manager Press Relations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

FEI

FEI Tribunal Issues Final Decisions on Banned Substance Cases

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Lausanne (SUI), 29 June 2017 – The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decisions on three banned substance cases under the FEI’s Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations (EADCMRs).

Samples taken on 4 September 2015 from the horse Houkoumi G (FEI ID 104XV97/BEL), ridden by Evelyne Stoffel (FEI ID 10128731/BEL) at the CEI1* 100 in Virton (BEL), tested positive for the opioid analgesic O-Desmethyl-Tramadol. The FEI Tribunal has imposed a 15-month suspension on the athlete with a fine of CHF 2,500 and contribution of 1,000 CHF towards legal costs.

Samples taken on 29 August 2015 from the horse Felix Van De Mispelaere (FEI ID 104JQ57/RSA), ridden by Jonathan Clarke (FEI ID RSA/10020663) to win a class at CSI1*-W in Polokwane (RSA), tested positive for the vasodilator Minoxidil.

The athlete had been provisionally suspended from 21 October 2015 until 18 May 2016. The FEI Tribunal found that while the EADCMRs were contravened, the athlete did not bear fault for the rule violation, so there was no further period of suspension imposed. He was ordered to contribute 1,000 CHF towards legal costs.

Samples taken on 14 October 2016 from the horse La Petite Fleur 6 (FEI ID 103TN40/MEX), ridden by Andres Arozarena (FEI ID MEX/10094207) at the CSI4* in Coapexpan (MEX), tested positive for the anti-inflammatory Piroxicam.

The FEI Tribunal has imposed a six-month suspension. The period of provisional suspension, effective from 20 December 2016, has been credited against the period of ineligibility imposed in this Decision. The athlete was therefore ineligible through to 19 June 2017. The athlete will also be fined 2,000 CHF and contribute 1,000 CHF towards legal costs.

Athletes have 21 days to appeal decisions to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) from the date of notification.

FEI Media Contact:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Show Jumping

FEI Tribunal Issues Final Decision in Kevin Thornton Case

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Lausanne (SUI), 7 June 2016 – The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decision on the case opened by the FEI last November against Irish Jumping athlete Kevin Thornton (FEI ID 10056297) for alleged abuse of the horse Flogas Sunset Cruise (FEI ID 103KQ92), which died at Cagnes-sur-Mer (FRA) on 10 October 2016.

The FEI Tribunal found the athlete guilty of horse abuse and has suspended him for four months from the date of the decision (6 June 2017), and imposed a fine of CHF 5,000 and costs of CHF 5,000.

In its findings, the FEI Tribunal determined that the athlete’s behaviour “went way beyond what could be considered an acceptable conduct towards a horse” and further concluded “with confidence that the horse has been whipped repeatedly, substantially and excessively and clearly more than the three (3) times alleged by Mr Thornton.”

The FEI stated in its testimony that “even if the horse had survived, a case of horse abuse would still have been opened by the FEI.” As the autopsy did not confirm the cause of death, the FEI Tribunal clarified that it was “not deciding on the potential responsibility of Mr Thornton for the tragic death of the horse.”

“The FEI stood up for horse welfare by taking this case to the FEI Tribunal and given the severity of this incident I truly would have expected a much tougher sanction,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said. “It was important to the FEI that the allegation of horse abuse was confirmed by the Tribunal. We had requested a two-year suspension, but the level of sanctions is at the discretion of the Tribunal and we respect its independence.”

The Decision can be appealed before the Court of Arbitration for Sport within 21 days from the date of notification (6 June 2017).

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Press Relations
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 787 506 142

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Dressage, Endurance Riding, FEI, Show Jumping

FEI Tribunal Lifts Provisional Suspensions

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Lausanne (SUI), 10 May 2017 – The FEI Tribunal has lifted the provisional suspensions of 11 athletes – two Jumping, two Dressage and seven Endurance – and three Endurance trainers.

Under the FEI’s Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations (EADCMRs) athletes have the opportunity to request a lifting of the provisional suspension in front of the FEI Tribunal.

Two international Jumping athletes, Brazil’s Marlon Modolo Zanotelli (Sirene de la Motte, FEI ID 103RA62) and Great Britain’s Henry Turrell (Blaze of Glory II, FEI ID 103LD21), whose horses tested positive for the banned substance Sparteine after competing at separate events in Vilamoura (POR) last month, have both had their provisional suspensions lifted as of midnight CEST on 27 April. Sparteine, an antiarrhythmic used to treat cardiac arrhythmia, is found in the lupin flower, which grows in many parts of Portugal.

The FEI Tribunal’s decision to lift the provisional suspensions was mainly based on scientific evidence presented by the two athletes which suggests the likelihood of food contamination. Additionally, the FEI List Group, which reviews the FEI Equine Prohibited Substance List annually, has recommended to the FEI Bureau that Sparteine should be reclassified as a Controlled Medication and Specified Substance from 1 January 2018.

Similarly, the provisional suspensions imposed on seven Endurance athletes and three trainers in the UAE were lifted as of midnight on 30 April 2017, also due to reclassification of a prohibited substance.

Samples taken from seven horses that competed at four different events in Al Wathba (UAE) between the end of November 2016 and mid-January of this year tested positive for Caffeine and a number of metabolites, including the substance Paraxanthine.

Caffeine is already listed as a Specified Substance and the FEI List Group has recommended that Paraxanthine should be reclassified as a Controlled Medication and Specified Substance from 1 January 2018.

Separately, two US Dressage athletes – Adrienne Lyle (Horizon, FEI ID 105FJ02) and Kaitlin Blythe (Don Principe, FEI ID USA41197) – had been provisionally suspended since 5 April, the date they were notified that their horses had tested positive to the banned substance Ractopamine in Dressage competitions in Wellington (USA) in February 2017.

Their provisional suspensions were lifted at midnight on 28 April following evidence provided by the two athletes that a feed supplement given to the horses had been contaminated.

The FEI Tribunal maintained the provisional suspensions of the two horses on horse welfare grounds and in order to ensure a level playing field, however both athletes applied to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne (SUI) for provisional measures to request the lifting of the suspensions of both horses so that they could compete at the US Dressage Festival of Champions (18-21 May). The CAS granted the provisional measures this week (8 May), but still has to rule on the merits of the case.

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Press Relations
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 787 506 142

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Endurance Riding, FEI

FEI Tribunal Publishes Final Decision in Endurance Prohibited Substance Case

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Lausanne (SUI), 8 July 2016 – The FEI Tribunal has today published its Final Decision in the case against the Iranian rider Abdulla Mahmood Abdulla Darban (FEI ID 10044343). Samples taken from the horse Lunatica (FEI ID 103JV94/QAT), which finished fourth at the CEI1* in Doha (QAT) on 2 May 2015, returned positive for two prohibited substances, Propranolol and Dexamethasone.

The beta blocker Propranolol, which is used to lower the heart rate, is a banned substance under the FEI’s Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Rules (EADCMRs). The corticosteroid Dexamethasone is a controlled medication.

The FEI Tribunal has imposed a two-year suspension on the athlete, effective immediately. The period of provisional suspension, which was effective from the date of notification, 23 June 2015, has been credited against the period of ineligibility. This means that the period of ineligibility will now run through to 22 June 2017.

The athlete, who is based in Qatar, is also fined CHF 2,000 and ordered to contribute CHF 1,500 towards the cost of the judicial procedure.

The full Final Decision is available here.

The athlete has 30 days from the date of notification of the Final Decision (7 July 2016) to appeal this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

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 substances (doping), are substances that should never be found in the body of the horse.

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Press Relations
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 787 506 142

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

Endurance Riding, FEI

FEI Tribunal Publishes Decisions in UAE Endurance Cases

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Lausanne (SUI), 11 March 2016 – The FEI Tribunal has this week published decisions in three Endurance cases in the United Arab Emirates involving Dr Hallvard Sommerseth, Abdul Aziz Sheikh and Ali Mohammed Al Muhairi.

Dr Hallvard Sommerseth, former Head of the Veterinary Department at the United Arab Emirates Equestrian Federation (EEF), has been suspended as an FEI Official for a two-year period for non-compliance with FEI Rules and Regulations and his involvement in a number of events from which duplicate results were submitted to the FEI.

The FEI Tribunal found that Dr Sommerseth had been “grossly negligent with regards to his duties as an FEI Official” during the events. Dr Sommerseth had been provisionally suspended by the FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez since 31 August 2015.

The FEI Tribunal suspension, which prevents Dr Sommerseth from acting as an FEI Official or having any involvement in FEI activities at a national or international level, runs through to 15 April 2017. The FEI Tribunal, which also fined Dr Sommerseth CHF 4,000 and ordered him to pay CHF 1,500 towards the costs of the legal procedure, took into account the ongoing provisional suspension imposed by the FEI Secretary General and the period from 12 March to 27 July 2015 when the EEF was suspended.

Dr Sommerseth has 21 days from the date of notification (10 March 2016) to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The full decision is available here.

Abdul Aziz Sheikh, former Head of the EEF Endurance Department, has been suspended from acting as an FEI Official or having any involvement in FEI activities at a national or international level by the FEI Tribunal for an 18-month period.

Mr Sheikh was provisionally suspended by the FEI Secretary General on 13 October 2015 for consistently failing to observe the FEI Rules and Regulations over a period of several years and for allowing a number of Endurance events to proceed without accurate timing systems.

The FEI Tribunal has now suspended him until 12 April 2017, taking into account the provisional suspension imposed by the FEI Secretary General. Mr Sheikh has also been fined CHF 3,000 and ordered to pay CHF 1,500 towards the costs of the legal procedure.

Mr Sheikh has 21 days from the date of notification (10 March 2016) to appeal the decision to CAS.

The full decision is available here.

The FEI Tribunal has also issued a decision in the case against Ali Mohammed Al Muhairi (UAE) regarding breaches of the terms of a four-year suspension imposed in March 2012 following an Equine Anti-Doping Rules violation. Under the terms of the suspension, Mr Al Muhairi was not allowed to participate in any capacity or be present at any Event authorised or organised by the FEI, other than as a spectator. The FEI Tribunal extended the period of ineligibility through to 21 April 2016 and ordered Mr Al Muhairi to contribute CHF 500 towards the costs of the legal procedure.

The Parties have 21 days from the date of notification (10 March 2016) to appeal the decision to CAS.

The full decision is available here.

Media contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38