FEI PRESS RELEASE

Leading experts on Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID) research in equestrian sport will address the FEI Congress on NSAID Usage and Medication in the Equine Athlete in Lausanne, Switzerland this summer. Dr Wayne McIlwraith (USA), Professor Pierre-Louis Toutain (FRA) and Professor Ken Hinchcliffe (AUS) will be part of a high-level panel of speakers at the Congress, which will be held at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland on 16/17 August 2010.

The FEI is to host a two-day global Congress to debate the use of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in competition. The FEI Congress on NSAIDs Usage and Medication in the Equine Athlete, which will be held in Lausanne*, Switzerland on August 16/17, will include the presentation of educational and scientific papers as well as open debate.

The FEI press conference, held on 17 April in Geneva (SUI), on the disqualification of Sapphire ridden by McLain Ward (USA) in the FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final, is now available free-to-view on FEI TV in English. Visit www.feitv.org and register to watch for free.

The opening statement by the FEI President is available here.
 

Historically, a substantial percentage of positive cases have been for banned substances. This means that, under the new Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations that came into force on 5 April 2010, those riders would have faced a possibly career-ending two-year suspension.

This fact demonstrates how important it is that all National Federations, athletes, vets and officials understand the new Rules.

The FEI today announced that the new Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations and the Equine Prohibited Substances List are now in effect for all FEI events. All involved in equestrian sport, and especially competitors, National Federations, veterinarians, event organisers, officials, managers, coaches and grooms, are responsible for understanding and abiding by the new Regulations.

On the occasion of its Executive Board (EB) meeting held at the FEI Headquarters today, 9 March, the FEI announced further steps in relation to the debate on in-competition use of a limited number of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) under strictly prescribed limits and set the relevant timeline.

A central point in the debate will be the FEI Congress on NSAIDs Usage and Medication in the Equine Athlete which will be held in Lausanne in August.

The policy choice of whether the restricted use of a small number of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) should be permitted in competition will be put to the vote at the 2010 FEI General Assembly, following a resolution passed by the Bureau today.

FEI Bureau Meeting, 10 April 2008, Interlaken (SUI) The Veterinary Committee made its report to the Bureau.

FEI Bureau Meeting, Dubai (UAE), 15-16 November 2007The FEI Veterinary Committee Chairman presented a detailed update on FEI veterinary activities pertaining, amongst others, to veterinary research, major event veterinary preparations, welfare sub committee issues, hypersensitisation, hyperflexion, competition intensity, equine influenza and concerns over other diseases. MEDICATION CONTROL PROGRAMME (MCP) UPDATE As per 1 October 2007, 1722 horses had been tested. Seventeen positive test results were noted within the MCP (Groups I + II); another sixteen were noted outside of the MCP.

The year 2006 was a most productive year for the FEI with regard to testing, in terms of numbers of horses tested as well as the number of events covered. In total, the FEI tested 3173 horses: 2097 in the Medication Control Programme (Groups I and II) and 1076 outside of the MCP, which is superior to anything done so far. In ten years, the number of tests has doubled: there were 1,500 tests conducted in 1996. A bit disappointing was that the rate of positives remained the same overall: 2.5% in the MCP and 1.3% outside of it.

Dubai (UAE), 14 February 2007During the annual FEI Veterinary Meetings 2007, which were held at the gracious invitation of the FEI President in Dubai, an anti-doping workshop was organised by the UAE National Federation. The FEI had expressed some concern in 2005 regarding the number of positive test results coming from the Endurance discipline and it was felt that a better communication could be beneficial. Although the testing figures from 2006 showed an improvement already, it was the opinion of all involved that such a workshop would be welcomed and useful in the region.

To make a clear distinction between the use of routine, legitimate medication and deliberate and calculated doping to affect a horse’s performance, the FEI has published Guidelines to assist treating and team veterinarians. The objectives are to protect the welfare of the horse, defend the integrity of the sport and to reassure the public.