FEI Report: No Prohibited Substances Found in Geneva Leg Swab Samples

The FEI released this statement today regarding the medications testing conducted last month at the 2010 World Cup show jumping final:

26 May 2010
The FEI has concluded MCP testing on leg swabs taken at the FEI World Cup™ Final in Geneva (13-19 April). No prohibited substances were found.

The FEI announced last week that analysis of all urine and blood samples taken in Geneva had proved negative. This now completes the MCP Testing results from Geneva

This means that the samples collected from McLain Ward's mare, Sapphire, showed no signs that an illegal substance had been applied to her left front leg which the veterinarians repeatedly tested searching for hypersensitivity.

Sapphire was eliminated from the standings and disqualified from the competition because the FEI vets and ground jury felt the mare exhibited a painful response to palpation of one spot on the left foreleg. There was no abnormal result from a thermography test on the same leg, and no other indication of lameness or discomfort; in fact, the mare had jumped to second place on the evening she was disqualified.

Ward and the US Equestrian Federation tried to mount an emergency appeal to the FEI Tribunal to temporarily override the the veterinarian's/ground jury's disqualification and to allow Ward and Sapphire to finish the competition. However, the FEI rules state that there is no appeal to a ground jury's decision and the Tribunal's response was that it did not have jurisdiction to overrule the elimination.

The USEF also initiated a full hearing by the Tribunal which shows on the FEI website as still under investigation. USEF president, David O'Connor made the following statement in an April 18th press release:

“The United States Equestrian Federation will await the FEI Tribunal’s decision, then after continued consultation with McLain Ward, decide the next course of action to move forward.”