Equestrian: CAS exonerates Canadian rider, team still out of Olympics

(Reuters) – Canada’s show-jumping team remain disqualified from the Tokyo Olympics despite the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Tuesday clearing a rider of intentionally doping.

CAS, which in January rejected Nicole Walker’s appeal against a doping violation, wrote in its reasoned ruling that she inadvertently ingested cocaine metabolite by drinking coca tea while at the 2019 Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru.

“While I appreciate the personal vindication, that is not as important to me as the team being able to compete,” Walker, 27, said in a news release issued by her team on Tuesday.

“It’s very unfair that my team mates are barred from competing at the Olympic Games when the truth has been accepted. Team Canada competed fairly and has earned the right to be in Tokyo.”

Canada had looked to have earned a spot at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which have since been delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, after placing fourth in the equestrian event at the 2019 Pan Am Games.

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Article written by: Frank Pingue