The FEI Tribunal has lifted the provisional suspensions on Swiss show jumping riders Steve Guerdat and Alessandra Bichsel, following preliminary hearings for the two riders at the end of last week. The lifting of the provisional suspensions will come into force on July 27, at midnight Swiss time.
The FEI Tribunal’s decision is mainly based on the scientific evidence presented by the persons responsible (the athletes), which suggests the likelihood of food contamination.
Both riders had been provisionally suspended after horses on which they were competing tested positive for prohibited substances, including banned substances.
Samples taken at the CSIO***** at La Baule (France) on May 27 from the horse Nino des Buissonnets, ridden by Guerdat, returned positive for the banned substances codeine and oripavine, and the controlled medication substance morphine.
Samples taken at the CSIO***** at La Baule on May 16 from Nasa, ridden by Guerdat, returned positive for the banned substance codeine and the controlled medication substance morphine. The horse’s sample also showed traces of oripavine, but not at a sufficiently high level for the testing laboratory to declare a positive for the substance.
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Samples taken at the CSIOY in Deauville (France) on May 8 from Charivari KG, ridden by Bichsel, returned positive for the banned substances codeine and oripavine, and the controlled medication substance morphine.
A preliminary hearing was held via teleconference on July 23 to hear Guerdat’s request to lift the provisional suspension imposed on him and Nino des Buissonnets and Nasa. A preliminary hearing was held via teleconference the following day, July 24, to hear Bichsel’s request to lift the provisional suspension imposed on her and Charivari KG.
While the FEI Tribunal lifted the provisional suspensions on the two riders, requests for the lifting of the provisional suspension on the three horses were denied. The Tribunal found that irrespective of the source of the prohibited substances, banned substances had been found in the system of the horses, and it is the FEI’s established policy to impose a provisional suspension period of two months in such cases.
Today’s decisions purely ruled on the lifting of the provisional suspensions. Decisions on the merits of the cases will be made at a later stage.
