SkipNavigation
newscentre_news
;section=news;area=newscentre;pos=1;tile=1;sz=728x90
logo
My Shortcuts
Ludger Beerbaum, of Germany, on Coupe de Coeur, competes during the second round of the FEI World Cup Jumping Final at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Friday, April 17, 2009.
Jae C. Hong/The Associated Press

FEI seeks to end equestrian drug problems

The Canadian Press
Posted Tuesday, November 17, 2009 2:55 PM ET

LAUSANNE, Switzerland - International Equestrian Federation members will vote this week on cleaning up the sport's drug problems.

Proposals include creating an independent investigations unit, improving stables security at top events and educating riders about 1,000 substances that are banned for use on horses in competition.

FEI leaders hope victory in Thursday's poll at their general assembly in Copenhagen will address doping issues that have marred equestrian events at recent Olympics.

They aim to have no failed drug tests at the 2012 London Games when equestrian will mark 100 years on the Olympic program.

"That is the ultimate goal,'' FEI legal director Lisa Lazarus said. "There is no reason to have any positive violations in London if everything is working properly.''

If approved, the rules will take effect in January and the first big test would be the 2010 World Equestrian Games in the United States. World championships in eight disciplines will be held Sept. 25-Oct. 10 in Lexington, Ky.

The changes took one year to produce after the FEI ordered two special commissions and consulted the sport's stakeholders. FEI secretary general Alex McLin said the 133 national federations supported the modernizing program.

"It's been extremely positive,'' he said. "There's been no doubt that this was something that needs to be done.''

Arne Ljungqvist, a leading anti-doping expert, led a review of the FEI's testing procedures that many riders said were unclear and led to horses testing positive for substances that were permitted in training.

The commissions have jointly called for an integrity unit, more targeted out-of-competition tests and requiring riders to log each horse's drug treatments.


Post a comment
newscentre_news
;section=news;area=newscentre;pos=2;tile=2;sz=300x250

Video »

Woolstencroft golden in super-GBar
newscentre_news
;section=news;area=newscentre;pos=5;tile=5;sz=300x250

Video Highlights

arrow left
Four-Man, Run 4 of 4
Four-Man Bobsleigh: USA 1 - Gold
Reigning world champion Steven Holcomb leads the US to a gold medal.
Four-Man, Run 4 of 4
Four-Man Bobsleigh: Germany 1 - Silver
Led by the most decorated bobsledder in Olympic history -- Andre Lange -- Germany claims the silver medal.
Four-Man, Run 4 of 4
Four-Man Bobsleigh: Canada 1 - Bronze
A third-place finish for the Canadian foursome, missing out on silver by just 0.01 seconds.
Four-Man, Run 4 of 4
Men's slalom: Cousineau run
Julien Cousineau was the top Canadian in men's slalom with an eighth-place finish.
Four-Man, Run 4 of 4
Men's slalom: Gold medal run

Italy's Giuliano Razzoli takes the gold medal in the men's slalom.

Four-Man, Run 4 of 4
Men's slalom: Silver medal run
Croatia's Ivica Kostelic wins the silver medal in the men's slalom.
Four-Man, Run 4 of 4
Men's slalom: Bronze medal run
A third-place finish for Andre Myhrer of Sweden.
Four-Man, Run 4 of 4
Men's Snowboard PGS: Anderson gold
Canada's Jasey-Jay Anderson with a first-place finish ahead of Austria's Benjamin Karl.
Four-Man, Run 4 of 4
Men's team pursuit: Canadian gold

Mathieu Giroux, Lucas Makowsky and Denny Morrison win a tight race with the US.

Four-Man, Run 4 of 4
Ladies' 30km mass start: Gold medal
Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland edges Marit Bjoergen of Norway for the gold in an incredible finish to the ladies' cross-country 30km mass start.
arrow right

Special Features