Bahraini Equestrian Team Stripped of Gold Following Doping Scandal

The Bahraini team has been stripped of its gold medal in an international team equestrian championship following an equine anti-doping case involving a banned substance, the International Equestrian Federation (Fédération Equestre Internationale) has announced.

The team had been announced the winner in the FEI Endurance World Championship, held in Butheeb, outside Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, in February. It was the first win for a Bahraini team since the event was first held in 1986.

The federation issued a statement saying that the case revolved around the horse Hera Durances, ridden by Bahrain’s Abdulrahman Mohammed Alzayed.

Testing during the event provided positive results for banned anabolic steroids, used to enhance muscular development and improve performance.

The statement said that an FEI tribunal had disqualified the athlete and horse combination, and the athlete had been given a fine and an 18-month ban.

The statement said that as a result of the disqualification, the Bahraini team’s results were void, as they no longer had the three finishes required. This meant that the remaining teams each moved up one place, with runner-up France taking the gold, Portugal winning silver, and Italy receiving the bronze medal.

FEI Legal Director Mikael Rentsch said the redistribution of the medals confirmed “that the systems we have in place are thorough and effective.”