FEI Shock: Bute Will Be Allowed in International Competitions
by Fran Jurga | 19 November 2009 | The Jurga Report at Equisearch.com
History was made today in Copenhagen, Denmark when delegates from the member nations that comprise the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), the world governing body of horse sports for competitions such as the World Cups, World Equestrian Games and Olympics, voted to allow small amounts of non-steroidal medications to be given to competition horses.
The FEI has to date promoted a zero-tolerance policy on all medication.
US riders have always had to compete on a double standard, since most US show organizations allow low levels of medication, but when upper level horses qualified for international events, no medication could be given.
However, in all press reports from Copenhagen, there is denial that the proposal was pushed by the United States in order to bring the world closer to US rules. Many nations are adamant that no drugs at all is the only acceptable policy for the highest level of sport to be fair.
Disqualifications for medication have been an embarrassment for several medal winners in the past two Olympic equestrian competitions.
Allowing medications may be objectionable to some of the largest sponsors of horse sport events in some countries and on the global level. Event organizers will be holding their breath.
Below, in red type, is the official statement from the FEI on this vote and the bigger impact of its "Clean Sport" initiative.
The new rules take effect in January, unless some extraordinary action prevents it, and will mean that medication will be allowed at the AllTech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky next fall.
At Kentucky, the world's horses will be competing at the highest level for the first time on medication, making that a more historic event than any of us could ever have imagined.
In a landmark moment for equestrian sport, the FEI General Assembly today voted overwhelmingly in favour of new Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations which will ensure the welfare of the horse and guarantee a fair playing field. A series of far reaching recommendations – part of the Clean Sport Campaign led by the Ljungqvist and Stevens Commissions – were also adopted by a massive majority amongst the 105 National Federations represented in Copenhagen.
Delegates also approved in a close vote a new Prohibited Substances List itemising more than 1000 substances not allowed in competition. The adoption of the so-called “Progressive List” now permits in-competition use of a limited number of medications under strictly prescribed limits.
FEI President HRH Princess Haya thanked the delegates on behalf of the sport for their support of the Clean Sport Campaign. “This is a true landmark moment in the history of our sport,” HRH Princess Haya commented. “The overwhelming support of the National Federations for the Clean Sport Campaign is proof that we are moving in the right direction thanks to the incredible work done by the Ljungqvist and Stevens Commissions. This vote has given us the power to roll out Clean Sport and allow us to restore the public image of our sport as a clean and uncorrupt product.”
The Clean Sport Campaign is the result of a year-long consultation process which has brought together the viewpoints and expertise of the entire FEI Family and the professional recommendations of the Commissions led by Prof. Arne Ljungqvist, chairman of the IOC Medical Commission and vice president of the World Anti Doping Agency, and Lord Stevens, formed Metropolitan Police Commissioner.
Professor Ljungqvist said, “Ultimately it was down to the equestrian community to make the final decision and they have voted in support of the package as a whole. The two Commissions have put in an enormous amount of work to come up with these recommendations and it is particularly gratifying that we have received such overwhelming support for the Clean Sport Campaign from the National Federations.”
Lord Stevens stated afterwards, “We said yesterday that the FEI needed to adopt these recommendations before it could be given a clean bill of health. They have been approved by a massive majority and now the sport can move forward.”
Voting Facts and Figures:
Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations: 95 in favour, 5 against
105 NFs represented (101 participated, 100 valid, 1 abstention)
Commissions Recommendations: 90 in favour, 8 against
103 NFs represented (100 participated, 99 valid, 1 abstention)
Lists of Prohibited Substances: 53 in favour of Progressive List, 48 in favour of other List
105 NFs represented (102 participated, 101 valid, 1 abstention)
FEI Veterinary Regulations: 86 in favour, 9 against
105 NFs represented (102 participated, 95 valid, 7 abstentions)
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Labels: Bute, clean, competition, drug, FEI, medication, Olympic, sport
posted by Fran Jurga @ 11/19/2009
11 comments
11 Comments:
What an absolute disgrace!
How on earth can we claim our sport is clean if we allow, indeed encourage doping. This is nothing more than appeasing the Americans.
Shame on the FEI.
What a sad day for international equestrian sports. I'm so sorry to see that the U.S. pharmaceutical lobby has won the day again.
Shame on you all! Yet another reason why I will NEVER support an FEI event.
The allowance of regulated known medications will greatly eliminate the use of unknown, "untestable" drugs. This will help the horses.
I never thought that I would see the day that any horse would be allowed to compete while on medication, what a sad day for equestrian sport. Shame on the F.E.I.
So you think a horse that competes at that level feels no pain from muscle soreness? The levels of drugs they would be allowing under veterinary guidances would be like you taking advil for sore muscles. Are the riders allowed to take advil? Of course, so why not allow the horse the same benefit.
Okay, work 'em while they're sore, break 'em down quicker, speed up the turn over, increase the market for prospects? Is that the thought? Sick.
Masking injuries so tghe horse can compete is so terribly detrimental to the horse, and unfair to those who take care to preserve the soundness of their horses. FEI has thrown the poor horses under the bus.
Certainly some will keep their horses constantly on a low level of anti-inflammatory just like many people use that to make themselves comfortable. And that is not right when it's being done to wring out every bit of performance at the cost of the animal's useful life. But it does not mean all riders will do this.
I imagine that some people will like to be able to offer this little bit of relief after a hard show, just as many do now with massages,adjustments, liniments, wraps, etc.. But as it was, if a caring rider used ANY amount of anti-inflammatory meds, they risked it being retained in the blood until the next competition and then caught on testing so the poor horse never had a chance to have any bit of relief as human athletes do. As Lori pointed out, horses should be allowed to have some relief from sore muscles due to competition, just as humans can. It's only right.
We can't paint all riders, owners, trainers with the same brush by stating they will all keep their animals loaded to the max limit in order to push and get more out of them. There are many more responsible riders than you are giving credit to - not everyone is a user and abuser. Many people want the best for their animal (pain relief) and do not want to push needlessly to the edges of ethics and physical ability like that. Just because some are users and abusers doesn't mean everyone in competition is like that.
Wow! What a way to reward riders/owners that are committed to squeezing out every competitive drop of their poor horses rather than having their well-being and longevity as top priority. Only for their love of fame, victory and ribbons – definitely not for the love of the horse that’s for sure!
This issue is NOT similar to a human athlete taking over-the-counter painkillers for muscle aches. The human CHOOSES whether to compete or not and consciously makes the decision to go on even when his/her body shouldn’t. But the horse has no choice or say in the matter, and can quickly fall victim to the human ego.
It is one of the primary duties of institutions such as the FEI to be the advocate of the horse and ensure its well being. Shame on them…
Considering that I have to take at least 800mg of naproxen to be able to ride, it makes sense to me to allow NSAIDS for horses. We are not talking uppers, downers or steroids, just NSAIDS like people use. This whole drug testing thing has gotten out of control when people are worried about popping positve on a drug test because they rubbed a horse down at a show. There comes a point when all of this zero tolerance hinders horse care instead of improves it.
This was done not to appease the Americans but to allow the UAE riders to compete in endurance with drugs. The President of the FEI is the wife of the "President"of the Saudi Arabia , the Royal family. A horse competing with bute can mask symptoms of break down until it is too late. It is rare for an endurance horse to have a catastrophic breakdown as seen in many other horse sports. Usually, a sore ligament, tendon or joint is noticed soon as "warm" or slightly puffy so one knows to back off and let the horse heal. I have personally had a horse that had a fractured cannon (trailer accident) that was sound at a walk with 2grams of bute and non weight bearing without it. FEI has lost its' charm for the real horseman.
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