FEI Rules - Updated

Equine Doping – What FEI registered riders need to know

After all the controversy over the Prohibited List at the FEI General Assembly in November of last year, riders would be forgiven for being unclear as to what system now applies. This article is designed to update riders and their support staff.

2012 Equine Prohibited Substances list
The FEI Bureau has approved changes to the current FEI Equine Prohibited Substances List to create the 2012 version of the List. The changes were proposed by the FEI List Expert Group and also as a result of feedback from earlier consultations.
Only a few changes have been made and a summary is provided here In order to have clarity about the changes, initially only the summary will be published on www.feicleansport.org, on www.fei.org/veterinary/veterinary-updates and at www.fei.org/veterinary/doping-and-controlled-medication. A 2011 version of the List with the 2012 changes added (and highlighted) will be published at a later date.

If you have any queries regarding this, please contact Graeme Cooke or by tel +4121 310 47 47.
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The new system: What are the key changes?

Well first of all doping (which falls under the World Anti-Doping Code in the same way as doping in humans) is separated out from medication control (which is there for welfare reasons) in the new FEI Rules. This is linked to a change in the approach to the Prohibited List which is much more specific about what is prohibited so this should allow riders and their vets increased certainty and enable them to avoid mistakes.

All substances on the Prohibited List are now known as “Prohibited Substances” but this is then divided into two substance groups. Doping substances are now referred to as “Banned Substances” ie they should never be used and medication substances are referred to as “Controlled Medication Substances”.

It may be possible to obtain an Equine Therapeutic Use Exemption (“ETUE”) for a Controlled Medication Substance in advance of competing but an ETUE will never be given for a Banned Substance. Similarly there are no threshold levels for Banned Substances. Since Banned Substances are so serious they are also prohibited both at competition and out of competition and the FEI now has the power to test for them out of competition if it receives “intelligence” that they are being used. Vets and other support staff should also take note that being in possession of a Banned Substance is now a doping violation in itself unless they can demonstrate “compelling justification” for that possession.

If a Banned Substance is detected the rider will now as a matter of course be provisionally suspended from competing and it is also open to the FEI to suspend any Support Personnel and also the horse involved. Support Personnel (which would include vets, grooms, trainers etc) are now specifically named in the Rules which sends out a clear message that the FEI will in the future be focusing on them as well as the riders.

If found guilty of the doping violation the rider, and potentially also the horse, will be disqualified from the competition concerned and also possibly from the entire event. The standard sanction on top of that is two years suspension, plus a fine and potential legal costs. This standard sanction can only be reduced if specific mitigating conditions can be met – this very much reflects the human doping system of imposing standard sanctions. During suspension the rider cannot compete internationally or nationally or be involved in any way in any activity organised by the FEI, the National Federation or any international or national event organisation and support personnel can even be banned from attending events as spectators.

In contrast the medication control system concentrates very much on the welfare of the horse when competing. So there is no out of competition testing, no sanction for possession of these substances by vets, grooms and other support personnel and no mandatory provisional suspension. A provisional suspension can only be imposed if the controlled medication substance is found in the horse during the course of a World Equestrian Games, the Olympics or Paralympics. In addition it is possible to apply for an ETUE for a controlled medication substance prior to competing. The sanction for a first offence is up to two years ineligibility and the exact length will be determined by looking at a number of specified conditions.

A Medication Logbook must now be kept for each horse recording the date, substance and dosage of all treatments administered to the horse which involve a prohibited substance and details of the person who administered the treatment. This Logbook can be inspected by the FEI Tribunal if a violation of the Rules is alleged.

So what should you do now?

The FEI have set up a very useful Clean Sport website at www.feicleansport.org/

We suggest you take a good look at the website and, at a minimum, look at the Athletes Guide and download a copy of the new Prohibited List: here

You need to make sure that your vet, grooms and other support personnel become familiar with what is and is not banned so that you can ensure that you will be fully compliant from that date. You should also draw to their attention the increased likelihood of them being included in legal proceedings should a positive test occur.

You also need to start using a Medication Logbook. We have prepared a suggested format which can be found here.

For information regarding FEI rules, shipping paperwork, passports etc. please contact Jane Muir BritishReining@aol.com

For further information regarding European Competitions please contact Adam Heaton adam.heaton@btopenworld.com.

FEI Registration and Passports

1. To Compete in any FEI competition the horse and the rider MUST be REGISTERED with FEI for the current year.
2. To compete in a CRI in your own country the horse must have a valid passport, correctly showing the horse’s markings, and a vaccination record showing that the horse has had its correct vaccinations including one within the past 6 months of the date of the competition but, no less than 8 days before the competition..
3. To Compete in a CRI in any other country the horse must have a valid FEI Passport.
4. To register a rider please compete an FEI rider registration form and send to the office with a cheque for £10. If you have previously been registered with FEI please show your FEI rider registration number. This does not change once it is issued it is your lifetime number BUT you do need to renew your registration EACH YEAR you wish to COMPETE.
5. To register a horse please complete an FEI horse registration form and send to office with a cheque for £10. If the horse has been previously been registered with FEI please show the FEI horse registration number. This does not change once it is issued it is the horse’s lifetime number BUT you do need to renew the horse registration EACH YEAR it competes.
6. To obtain an FEI Passport. This is done by putting an FEI cover on your current passport and inserting the required pages. The cost of an FEI Passport is £200.00. If the horse is already registered with FEI you will only need to complete the FEI Passport Application form and send it with the cheque and original passport to the office. If the horse is not already registered with FEI you will need to complete the horse registration form and add £10 to your cheque. When sending the passport in please ensure that the
• vaccination records are up to date.
• the horse diagram is signed by a vet
• Section 9 of the passport has been completed and signed
  The passport will be returned to you by the issuing authority. You then need to sign the owners section on page 2 of the FEI pages double check that the above 3 items have been completed and signed by your vet and then you will need to return it to BEF to be stamped and signed.

It can take up to 6 weeks before a passport is fully available so be sure to have your passport in plenty of time you do need to apply well in advance. There is a rush fee of £60 per passport but it still has to go to and fro to BEF.

1. FEI Passports are valid for competition for 4 years from the date of issue. If you wish to compete in CRIs after the expiry of the 4 years you will need to renew. This costs £200.00 and you will need to send the Passport Renewal Form, the passport and the cheque to the office.

All CRI entries have to be approved by the National Federation. If you are interested in being notified when we receive invitations please email BritishReining@aol.com and ask to be added to the email notification list. If you arrive at a foreign venue and attempt to enter a CRI without having first informed us, you will be refused entry, so you will need to advise us of your intention to participate in before the closing date for entries.

For further information please contact Jane Muir on BritishReining@aol.com or phone/fax 01303 814879.