Today, June 11, the Court of Arbitration for Sport announced a reduced suspension for the Saudi Arabian riders Khaled Abdullaziz Al Eid and Abdullah Waleed Sharbatly.

On May 23, the Fédération Equestre Internationale Tribunal found that the riders had violated the FEI Equine Controlled Medication Rules and suspended them for a period of eight months, which would’ve prevented them from competing in the 2012 Olympic Games.

On May 24, the riders filed appeals at the CAS against the decision. At the request of the riders and with the consent of the FEI, the two appeals were referred to the same sole arbitrator, Graeme Mew of Canada, and were conducted together on an expedited basis. A hearing was held in London on June 7.

Mew issued his decision today, partially upholding the appeal. He reduced the periods of ineligibility to two months, based on the infraction being of minor importance. The two months have already been served by the athletes following their voluntary suspension in February.

Al Eid is already qualified for the London Olympic Games with Presley Boy. Sharbatly will attempt to qualify Sultan V before June 17.

Ziyad Abduljawad, the Managing Director of Saudi Equestrian said, “This has been an extremely difficult and testing time for the Saudi Equestrian team, and I would like to praise the way in which both Khaled and Abdullah have handled themselves throughout the process.”