News

Al Eid and Sharbatly with 8-month suspension

May 24, 2012

The FEI Tribunal has today issued its decisions in the cases involving the two Saudi Arabian riders Khaled Abdulaziz AL Eid and Abdullah Waleed Sharbatly. Both Al Eid’s horse Vanhoeve and Sharbatly’s horse Lobster 43 tested positive to Non-Steroidal-Inflammatory drugs this winter and the riders voluntarily suspended themselves in late February.

The Tribunal has imposed an eight-month suspension for both riders, effective immediately and for Al Eid’s part backdated back to February 24th when he accepted a period of voluntarily provisional suspension. Sharbatly was credited the time back to the date the sample was collected - February 10th - based on his timely acceptance of the rule violation.

For both riders the suspensions means they will not be able to compete during the Olympic Games in London in August. The importance of the Games has been used by both riders to try and reduce the suspension. The Tribunal acknowledged the importance of the Games, but stated that this would not provide a level playing fields in a sports calendar that offers major events almost every year. Rules have to be applied consistently throughout the four-year Olympic circle.

Al Eid and Sharbatly both have 30 days from the date of notification (23 May 2012) to appeal the findings to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.

To read the press release from the FEI go here.

Souce World of Showjumping