Euro threat of boycott after US U-turn on drugs ban
Wednesday December 02 2009
A line was drawn in the sand on Monday night as the US Equestrian Federation (USEF) declared its support for the controversial decision to allow drugs to be administered to competition horses, while the British Federation (BEF) urged the international governing body, the FEI, "to review the situation with the greatest possible urgency".
The BEF called for either the deferral of the introduction of the formerly banned substances until after next year's World Equestrian Games (WEG), or the abandonment of the programme, which will allow the drugs to be used from January 2010.
In a statement issued on Monday afternoon, BEF chief executive Andrew Finding pointed out that the majority of nations voted in favour of the new list "but on this occasion the proposal was bounced on national federations at unacceptably short notice".
His words echo those of Horse Sport Ireland chief executive Damian McDonald, who has also questioned the legitimacy of the hasty vote.
tolerance
The world of equestrian sport has been in a spin since the FEI's zero-tolerance policy was suddenly ditched and the progressive list of six drugs, including the commonly used painkiller Phenylbutazone (Bute), were approved for use.
The German Federation has been particularly outspoken in its criticism. At a recent press conference, its president, Breido Graf zu Rantzau, even suggested the possibility of a boycott of the 2010 World Championships in Kentucky by the European nations.
However on Monday night the USEF declared its support for the rule change -- contradicting the statement of its chief executive John Long who, during the FEI's General Assembly in Copenhagen two weeks ago, denied that the list, which arrived so late on the table, had USEF backing. "It is not our official position and we don't support it," he said that day.
The ever-deepening controversy has completely overshadowed the acceptance of a raft of stringent new Clean Sport regulations which were approved during the assembly.
Also at the assembly, Corkman Brian Mangan was elected chairman of the FEI Audit and Compliance Committee.
Mr Mangan's 26-year-old son, Stuart, suffered a severe spinal injury while playing rugby in London in April 2008 and died in August of this year following a courageous and inspirational struggle that made a huge impact on the sporting world.
- Louise Parkes
Irish Independent
