Horses banned after dope check

Thursday, August 21: The individual equestrian finals were thrown into chaos today when three horses and riders due to compete in Hong Kong this evening tested positive for the banned substance capsaicin. Ireland's Denis Lynch on Lantinus, Norway's Tony Andre Hansen on Camiro and Brazil's Bernardo Alves on Chupa Chup have been suspended from the Games. A fourth horse and rider - Germany's Christian Ahlmann on Coster - were also suspended but were not due to compete today.

If the horses' B sample tests confirm their A samples, their countries will be disqualified from the team show jumping, which took place on Monday.
Norway is in danger of losing the bronze medal it won that day - its first-ever placing in an Olympics equestrian event. Switzerland would be moved up to bronze position.

The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) said the four horses had been "provisionally suspended further to doping/medication control tests that indicated the present of capsaicin in each horse".

Capsaicin is a pain-reducing salve. According to the FEI, it is classified as a 'doping' prohibited substance because of its hyper-sensitising properties, and as a 'medication class A' prohibited substance due to its pain relieving properties.

BBC commentator Michael Tucker told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Capsaicin is basically rubbed onto the front of the legs and it makes the horses pick up their legs." He said the testing facilities and laboratories in Hong Kong - where the Olympic equestrian events take place - are world class. "The B samples are going to be carried out very, very quickly indeed."

The owner of the Norwegian horse Camiro is the financier Kjell Christian Ulrichsen, who has close ties to Norway's royal family. Princess Martha Louise, a former equestrian herself, was among those who celebrated Monday's bronze medal.

FIRST POSTED AUGUST 21, 2008