What Every Rider Should Know
About Human Doping Charges.
Whhen someone brings up allegations of doping in the equestrian sport field, the natural tendency of
anyone involved in the conversation is to assume the subject of the allegations is an equine athlete, a
horse. For anyone involved in the international equine industry, improper medication or supplementation
of sport horses is a known disciplinary red flag, and the volume of such instances, the discipline
handed down, and the effects of that discipline are legion. An equine industry participant, whether
professional or amateur, does not have to look far to encounter a friend, acquaintance or competitor who has been required
to address equine doping allegations. As explained below, for a rider to be exposed to human doping violation
charges, it does not matter whether you compete on the international or national level.
Less often discussed, let alone considered
by rider-Athletes, are the rules and presumptions
that govern human equestrian Athletes.
National Federations can and do apply international
drug rules to National-level as well as
International-Level Athletes under their governance.
The Federation Equestre Internationale
(“FEI”) defines “Athlete” according to the World
Anti-Doping Agency (“WADA”) Code definition,
that is: “Athlete: Any Person who competes in
sport at the international level (as defined by
each International Federation), or the national
level (as defined by each National Anti-Doping
Organization. An Anti-Doping Organization has
discretion to apply anti-doping rules to an Athlete
who is neither an International-Level Athlete nor
a National-Level Athlete, and thus to bring them
within the definition of ‘Athlete.’” For purposes of
administration and complicity in violations, as well
as for purposes of anti-doping information and
education, any Person who participates in sport
under the authority of any Signatory to the WADA
Code, government, or other sports organization
accepting the Code is considered an “Athlete.”
Consequently, an athlete who has registered with
FEI but sometimes competes in non-FEI classes
is subject to FEI rules and the WADA Code. As
well, a testing pool of the top 10 in the current FEI
ranking list for an equestrian discipline are also
subject to testing at essentially any time.
This article therefor offers the rider a
very brief overview of governance of human
Showing
Athletes in equestrian sport, the application
of the World Anti-Doping Agency
(“WADA”) Code to human Athletes,
and highlights the very real and present
&danger for automatic suspension as a
TRAINING result of WADA Code violations under
the FEI ADHRA. Experience has
shown that many rider-Athletes are not
aware of this body of regulation and
procedure and exposure.
84 www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com governance. The International Olympic
Committee (“IOC”) is the governing
body of the Olympic games pursuant
to the Olympic Charter. International
Federations (“IFs”) govern particular
sports pursuant to IOC standards. The
IF for most equestrian sport in the World
is FEI. In the world of equestrian sport,
the FEI exercises complete authority over
equestrian sport national federations that
have submitted to FEI jurisdiction. Operating
under IFs are National Federations
(“NFs”), which regulate a particular
sport within one country.
In the United States, the United States
Equestrian Federation (“USEF”) is the
NF, also defined as a “national governing
body” by United States law, for most
equestrian sport. USEF has, in its
General Rules (“GRs”) specifically submitted
to the jurisdiction of FEI for both
equine and human doping for Athletes
involved in international competition.
The imposition of discipline upon an
equine or human athlete by FEI is given
reciprocity and enforced by USEF. USEF
rules require notice and a hearing before
suspension; however USEF defers to FEI
proceedings as containing the requisite
notice and opportunity to be heard.
Most equestrian human athletes
are not deeply, if at all, aware of the
WADA Code and list of Scheduled and
Non-scheduled substances for humans.
Further, human equestrian athletes
reading this are likely not aware of either
eipen
the Mandatory Provisional Suspen-
First, Athletes should be aware that
WADA has developed and maintains a
list of substances and methods that are
banned for human consumption and/
or handling. WADA updates this Prohibited
Substances and Methods List
periodically. The updated list normally
applies from 1 January each year
and is available a few months before on
the WADA website . The list is divided
into substances that are: 1. banned at all
times and 2. those prohibited during the
in-competition period (as defined by each
sport but often within 24 hours of the
competition). Also banned at all times:
methods such as blood transfusion or
manipulation, or intravenous injections in
some situations.
The hierarchy of equestrian sport
/www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com