FEI Tribunal issues Final Decisions

The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decisions in two cases involving Prohibited Substances.

The first case involves the horse Captain Future 3 (FEI ID 104OK61/AUT), ridden by Felix Koller (FEI ID 10067976/AUT). Samples taken from the horse at the CSIO5*- NC EUD1 in St. Gallen (SUI), 30 May to 2 June 2019, tested positive for the Banned Substance Diisopropylamine.

In its Final Decision dated 18 August 2020, the FEI Tribunal accepted the agreement reached between the FEI and the athlete. It was found that the team veterinarian most likely injected the horse at the event. The FEI Tribunal took note that the FEI accepted that the athlete bore No Significant Fault or Negligence for the rule violation. Therefore, the standard two-year applicable period of ineligibility was reduced to one year, with the provisional suspension (effective from 7 August 2019) credited against the full suspension, meaning that the athlete was ineligible until 6 August 2020. The results of the athlete and horse at the event were disqualified and the athlete was ordered to pay a fine of CHF 1,500. Each of the parties will bear its own legal costs.

The second case involves the horse Gelo Delle Schiave (FEI ID 104RW65/ITA), ridden by Pierluigi Sangiorgi (FEI ID 10025969/ITA). Samples taken from the horse at the CDI-W in Lipica (SLO), 24-26 May 2019, tested positive for the Banned Substance Aripiprazole.

The FEI Tribunal, in its Final Decision dated 26 August 2020, ruled that the athlete bore No Fault or Negligence for the Rule violation, as he was able to establish that the Prohibited Substance entered the horse’s system through the ingestion of straw bedding that was contaminated through urination by the support personnel. The standard two-year applicable period of ineligibility was therefore eliminated. The results of the athlete and horse at the event were disqualified. Each party will bear its own legal costs.

The Final Tribunal Decisions can be found here.

The parties can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days of receipt of the Final Decisions.