Kent Allen, Stephen A. Schumacher
Impact of FEI Rules on Sport Horse Medications
In 1921, the countries of France, the United States, Sweden, Japan, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Italy founded the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) in Lausanne, Switzerland, to regulate international equestrian events in jumping, dressage, and eventing. Today, the FEI regulates eight disciplines of equestrian sports: Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, Endurance, Driving, Reining, Vaulting, and Para-Equestrian Dressage. Equestrian sports (not including racing) have become increasingly popular around the world. On the international stage, jumping, dressage, and eventing are the only Olympic sports that involve the combination of human and equine athletes. These events have been a component of the modern Olympics for more than 100 years, having made their debut in 1912. The equestrian venues at the 2012 Olympic Games held in London were some of the first venues to sell out, and tickets were nearly impossible to obtain.
As with all regulatory bodies involved with equestrian sports, the veterinarian’s primary mission is safeguarding the welfare of the horses involved. At times, this mission can come into conflict with certain commercial aspects of the industry, but equine welfare must always be the primary driving force. As an international governing body, the FEI embraces this role and requires all those involved in international equestrian sport to adhere to the FEI’s Code of Conduct for the Welfare of the Horse.1 This includes the acknowledgement and acceptance that at all times the welfare of the horse must be paramount in importance and must never be subordinated to competitive or commercial influences. To this end, the FEI maintains rules that address various aspects of sport horse competition, such as preparation and training of competition horses, ground surfaces, stabling, proper veterinary care, competition injuries, use of medications, and others.
Impact of FEI Rules on the Treatment of Sport Horses
When treating any horse involved in competition, it is necessary that the veterinarian be familiar with and adhere to the rules under which the competition is held. For veterinarians treating horses competing at FEI competitions, it is important to be knowledgeable about what substances are permitted for administration to horses while in competition, what should never be administered in competition or preceding competition, how to administer treatment in the stabling of an FEI competition, and the required documentation necessary to undertake treatment. In addition, it is important to fulfill the requirements of the FEI to be permitted to act as a treating veterinarian at an FEI competition. It is imperative for the veterinarian to think ahead before an event to ensure that any treatment will be compliant with the rules. This enables avoiding violations and subsequent penalization of the client.
FEI Philosophy Regarding Use of Medications
The FEI philosophy is that a horse should compete on its own merits without any unfair advantage that might be gained through the use of drugs. In addition, horses should be fit to compete and not require drugs that may mask injuries that could potentially lead to further injury, lameness, or disease or limit a horse’s long-term athletic potential. The FEI rules regarding medications have evolved, but the underlying principle is that it is prohibited for most medications and drugs to be in the horse at the time of competition. Another important concept is the legal principle of strict liability. Like other sport governing bodies, the FEI has adopted this position with regard to detection of prohibited substances in competing horses: the person responsible for the competing horse has a duty to eliminate the possibility for ingestion of prohibited substances. Detection of a prohibited substance in a horse at the time of competition constitutes a violation, regardless of intent. For purposes of assigning responsibility, the FEI considers the rider to be the person responsible. In the course of an investigation, the FEI might determine that there are additional individuals to be held accountable on the basis of their involvement and final determination of the presence of a prohibited substance. These individuals might include the groom, trainer, owner, or veterinarian.
The FEI and Clean Sport
In response to the high-profile doping cases from the 2008 Olympic Games, the FEI convened the Commission on Equine Anti-Doping and Medication, chaired by Professor Arne Ljungqvist, Vice-President of the World Anti-Doping Agency. The purpose of this committee was to recommend a practical course of action to establish the best possible system to promote drug-free equine sport. Experience over time has revealed that athletes and their advisers have been confused about exactly what is and what is not prohibited. The FEI Clean Sport Commission reported in 2009, and among several recommendations, the Commission proposed that a list of prohibited substances be published. Within the list it was thought that a clear distinction should be made between doping substances and commonly used medications. In many parts of the world, the word doping is understood to mean the use of some medication, drug, substance, or autologous infusion product to enhance performance of human and animal athletes. Doping substances in equine sports are considered to be agents that typically have no legitimate therapeutic use in the horse and are used only to enhance performance. Commonly, doping substances are also selected for abuse because of their ability to escape detection.
The FEI revealed the Clean Sport Initiative in April of 2010. The first Equine Prohibited Substances List (EPSL) was published, along with Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medications Regulations. All substances on the EPSL are prohibited to be in the horse at the time of competition. In adopting the EPSL, the FEI sought to recognize the difference between substances that are legitimate therapeutic substances to be used in the treatment of injury or illness in the horse and substances that are only used illicitly because they have no recognized legitimate use in equine medicine or have a high potential for abuse. The EPSL is updated by the FEI on a yearly basis. The FEI List Committee is composed of chemists, practicing veterinarians, pharmacologists, and experts in the field of equine medication. This group is appointed by the FEI on a yearly basis and meets several times a year to consider substances that should be included on or removed from the EPSL and changes in classification of existing substances on the EPSL. The primary considerations are the welfare and safety of the horse and use of medication to gain unfair advantage. The two categories within the list are banned substances and controlled medications.
It is important to understand that neither a banned substance nor a controlled medication should ever be detected in a horse competing under FEI rules. The finding of a substance listed on the EPSL is considered a violation of FEI rules.
A specific difference in these two classifications of prohibited substances under FEI rules is that they differ substantially in penalty. A violation involving a banned substance (“doping”) is associated with a 2-year suspension, whereas a violation involving a controlled medication is associated with a lesser penalty but can still result in up to a 2-year suspension. In addition to suspensions, the FEI also imposes fines on the person or persons responsible for the horse.
Permitted Medications Under FEI Rules
The current FEI-permitted medications include rehydration fluids, antimicrobials (with the exception of procaine penicillin G), and antiparasite drugs (dewormers). In addition, some drugs used to treat or prevent gastric ulcers may be given (i.e., ranitidine, cimetidine, and omeprazole). The use of altrenogest is currently permitted for mares with estrus-related behavioral problems. The use of altrenogest in stallions or geldings is considered a controlled medication violation. Nonprohibited substances may be administered by nebulization or vaporization as well as orally.
