Britt Carlsen
USA sluttede på 4. pladsen i holdkonkurrencen ved OL i dressur i Hongkong sidste måned. Efter Tyskland, Holland og Danmark. En dopingtest taget på Mythilus efter den individuelle finale var positiv for det smertestillende og betændelseshæmmende stof Felbinac. Et stof der er at finde på FEI's Medicinliste A, og dermed klasificeret som et forbudt stof. Rytteren, Courtney King-Dye forsøgte sammen med repræsentanter for USA's dressurforbund, at overbevise FEI's Tribunal om, at stoffet var kommet i hesten ved en kontamination fra omgivelserne. Den argumentation lod FEI sig dog ikke overbevise om gyldigheden af, og resultatet af denne høring blev da også, at Courtney King-Dye blev diskvalificeret, og med hende det amerikanske landshold, der dermed mistede deres 4. plads i holdkonkurrencen. På den anden side lod FEI sig overbevise om, at hverken rytteren selv, dyrlægen eller en tredjeperson bevidst havde givet hesten stoffet, og at det amerikanske landshold havde gjort alt i deres magt for at sikre, at de ikke overtrådte reglerne ved OL. Derfor blev rytterens karantæne sat til en enkelt måned, som sluttede den 21. september. I FEI's offentliggørelse af sagen kan man bl.a. læse: As a result of the foregoing, the horse and the PR are disqualified from the Games and all medals, points and prize money won at the Olympic Games by them are forfeited. Such disqualification is automatic and is not considered a sanction; rather it is an automatic mechanism used to ensure a level playing field. As a result, the US Dressage Team with its reaming two competitors is also disqualified and loses its 4th place. The Tribunal did not accept the arguments of the USEF that the resulting disqualification of its Team, when the sampling was carried days after the end of the Team competition, is a "sanction" which is inappropriate in this case and should not be imposed. The Tribunal noted that the resulting disqualification was automatic. In regard to sanctions, the Tribunal considered the fact that the PR is an experienced sportswoman and that the behaviour of anyone at the top of the sport and particularly at the Olympic Games must be faultless since the eyes of the world focus on performances at such events. On the other hand, the Tribunal found the evidence of the PR and the US Dressage Team Vet to be credible and believed that neither the PR nor anyone on her behalf or related to the USEF had knowingly administered the medication to the horse. The Tribunal further accepted the PR's and USEF's arguments that they have done almost everything in their power to ensure that no rule violation shall occur. The Tribunal also considered the type of Medication A substance involved and its therapeutic applications, the fact that the same substance may not be considered as a doping substance, the specific circumstances relating to the horse's hospitalisation in Hong Kong and the possibility of contamination, the excellent stable management practiced by the US team and measures placed to try and ensure the no horse with prohibited substances participates at the Olympic Games, the efforts made by the PR and the USEF to determine the source of the positive finding, the impeccable record and reputation of the PR, the PR’s cooperation in the investigation and the hardship already caused to the PR including the fact that the US Dressage Team has already lost its 4th place at the Olympic Games. As a consequence, the Tribunal imposed on the PR a one month suspension, which has commenced on the date of the application of the provisional suspension and ended on 21 September 2008, fine and costs.
