Saudi Arabia, which has invested tens of millions of pounds in its Olympic show jumping effort, is appealing against the FEI (International Equestrian Federation) Tribunal bans which put its two top riders out of London 2012.Eight-month suspensions have been imposed on Khaled Abdulaziz Al Eid (Vanhoeve) and Abdullah Waleed Sharbatly (Lobster 43) after their horses tested positive to the non-steroidal anti-inflammatories phenylbutazone and oxyphenbutazone at shows in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Al Ain in the UAE over the winter.
The riders voluntarily suspended themselves in February, hoping that a three or four month backdated ban was possible, enabling participation in London 2012; Sharbatly even wrote on Facebook that he hoped to ride at Wiesbaden this weekend.
But unless the Federation’s appeal, announced on Wednesday, to the Court of Arbitration of Sport is successful, both are grounded until October.
“Bute” is a controlled medication routinely used in many professional yards though most are aware of the time it takes to leave the horses’ system before it competes again.
The FEI Tribunal rejected arguments that the substances were accidentally ingested through stable contamination and added: “While it acknowledged the importance of the Olympic Games, which had been stressed during the hearing, the Tribunal stated that considering [it] while determining the length of suspension would not provide a level playing field in a sports calendar that offers major events almost every year, and that rules have to be applied consistently throughout the four-year Olympic cycle.”
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