STOCKYARD
HORSE DISCUSSION FORUMS

Cav · 22-08-2008, 10:13 AM

Has anyone ever heard of this before? Found it on 9msn this morning!

"Australia's chance of clinching its first ever show jumping medal has been boosted by a doping scandal involving four riders from other nations.

The horses of Bernardo Alves (Brazil), Christian Ahlmann (Germany), Denis Lynch (Ireland) and Tony Andre Hansen (Norway) have all tested positive to hypersensitivity and pain relieving drug, capsaicin.

The substance is a derivative of the chilli plant and is usually used in ointments and rubbed on the horse's legs.

Capsaicin has always been banned at the Olympics because it can act as a mild stimulant but a test has only recently been developed to detect the drug.

The riders have been suspended from competition, pending further analysis of blood and urine samples from the horses.

Hansen qualified in first place for tonight's final show jumping rounds, ahead of Australian, 34-year-old Edwina Alexander, while Lynch qualified equal eighth.

Lynch was quoted by the New York Times newspaper as saying he had used an ointment, Equi-Block, for more than a year to help warm the back muscles of his horse, Latinus, for competition.

He said he had not noticed the label mentioning that the ointment contained capsaicin or thought to mention to his team's veterinarian that he was using the ointment.

The absence of some of the top competitors is an obvious advantage to Australia in tonight's final.

If Alexander, or one of her teammates - Laurie Lever, 60 and Matt Ryan, 23, - make it to the podium tonight it would be the first show jumping medal for Australia.

Twenty horses from each of the equestrian disciplines - eventing, dressage and show jumping - have been tested for banned substances.

Fifteen horses have been tested so far in show jumping, including Lever's horse, Drossel Dan, which was given the all clear.

The FEI Tribunal will consider whether or not to strip Norway of its team bronze medal from Monday night. "

hutchi · 22-08-2008, 10:14 AM

Yep I read it last night! Shocking!

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