What has changed since equestrian sports emerged from the Beijing Olympics (2008) in tatters with the dubious distinction of being the most drugged-up of all sports? A total of 8 positive samples from 6 horses were identified at Beijing, these being spread among horses from the German, Irish, Brazilian, Norwegian and American teams.
It has been especially personally embarrassing for Princess Haya, head of the FEI when, following statements that banned substance use would not be tolerated, her husband Sheik Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s endurance horse ‘ Tahhan’ tested positive to two banned substances in April 2009.
Drug use seems to be particularly rife in the sports of show jumping and endurance riding, however also dressage rider, Isabell Werth’s horse, Whisper 156 (GER) failed a drug test in 2009.
January 18, 2010, the FEI has rolled out it’s new anti-doping website FEI Clean Sport, with the new regime to clean up the sport’s act to be implemented from 5 April 2010.
The process itself has not gone untainted, with raging disquiet following allowance of a substance previously banned for 20 years – Phenylbutazone (’bute’) – which failed to attract objections prior to the FEI General Assembly (Copenhagen 2009), but which achieved an assembly vote of 48/53 FOR the new ‘progressive’ drugs list versus the old. With the obvious implications for competition horse welfare, and following moves by veterinarians and concerned others, the drug is to undergo a further review in 2010 before it’s acceptance in competition.
The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games to be held in Kentucky in September this year will make an interesting study…
If you found this post interesting, you may like to subscribe to receive updates
Related posts:
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I am no vet nor am I even a competitive rider but I would never mix bute and work together. If the horse needs something like bute why would it be ok to ride or compete? There is the masking of pain issue but also the risk of further injury to a very valuable athlete. I just do not understand.
OT but…
Temple Grandin spoke recently on NPR and thought it may be of interest to you. I find her books and her interviews to be very interesting and she is definitely on topic with your blog… especially her latest book “Animals Make Us Human”
Well here is the link http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123028845
Thanks for your points, Molly. I know from experience how astoundingly effective bute can be in masking pain. Whilst I don’t think horses should not have pain reduced, for their welfare, they can do a lot of damage if they are being worked, particularly at high level.
Temple Grandin is interesting. I have mixed feelings over easing the passage to the slaughterhouse for the cattle… One part of me says ‘Judas’, and the other says that if they are ‘having’ to go there anyway, their path must be made as stress-free as possible.
I have read some of the science on pain and suffering in stock at the abbattoir, I find the whole thing abhorrent. But that is another matter. Thanks very much for alterting me to Temple Grandin’s book, I will look out for it. ; )
Yes well that is the debate with Grandin isn’t it? I wrote a blog entry about how I could not do the job that she does, but I am glad that someone has taken that role. As a vegetarian I have chosen to display my disgust with the meat industry by boycott, At least Grandin is doing something for the welfare of the animals we eat. That is more than I can say for most people in this world.