In the wake of recent drug infraction scandals, the German Equestrian Federation reeled from another blow today, June 24, after the news broke that dressage superstar Isabell Werth, their five-time Olympic dressage gold medalist, has been suspended by the Fédération Equestre Internationale for doping.
The website Eurodressage.com reported that on May 30 at the Wiesbaden CDI in Germany, Werth’s small tour horse, Whisper, tested positive for fluphenazin. The drug is normally used as an antipsychotic for humans with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, but one of its side effects is sedation.
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As it stands, Werth will not be allowed to compete at the World Equestrian Festival CHIO in Aachen, Germany, in early July, but there will be an FEI Tribunal hearing on June 25 to determine whether the suspension will be upheld. Werth has requested the opening of the B sample.
“This is a catastrophe for the horse sport,” said German Equestrian Federation President Breido Graf zu Rantzau. “But we won’t let ourselves be discouraged by all this negative news as we pave the way to a fair horse sport.”
