Dressage rider Andreas Helgstrand has misplaced the bronze medal he received on the 2023 Danish nationwide championships owing to veterinary remedy given to the pony the evening earlier than.
On 4 June Andreas and the nine-year-old stallion Jovian have been 3rd within the freestyle on the championships.
However on 19 September the Danish equestrian federation (DRF’s) attraction committee dominated that there have been a contravention of the federation’s laws in relation to veterinary remedy. Within the determination revealed through DRF on 20 September, it was once said that Jovian was once handled through a vet at the showground on 3 June for a light (non life-threatening case) of colic, all through which period two technical delegates handed the strong whilst the vet was once inspecting him.
Following the remedy, the vet despatched an e-mail to the DRF’s veterinary advisor Mette Uldahl at 10.04pm that evening, however this was once now not learn till the night time of the day following the contest. The file states that no phone calls have been made to Ms Uldahl, or enquiries to the technical delegate, for approval of the remedy on Saturday – or earlier than the beginning of the development on Sunday.
“The treating veterinarian supplemented Mette Uldahl with further details about the remedy on 5 June and said that the pony have been given 500ml of [electrolyte] duphalyte and 20ml of [painkiller] traumeel orally through tube,” learn the verdict, including that inside an hour Jovian had began consuming once more and for the remainder of the evening “behaved usually”.
“It’s said that the attending veterinarian was once consulted through Andreas Helgstrand’s groom on 3 June within the night time. The vet tested the pony and performed the remedy discussed. Andreas was once now not acutely aware of the remedy till he was once knowledgeable on 6 June 2023 concerning the grievance filed within the case.”
The grievance, introduced through DRF, is in accordance with the truth there was once a breach of its rules on doping and medicine.
“A horse has been medicated on a showground with out the desired review and permission from DRF’s veterinary advisor,” the file learn.
The grievance determination added that horses would possibly not take part in occasions beneath the affect of pain-relieving, performance-enhancing, stimulating or sedative components – and that medicine must now not be administered by the use of tube. If there’s a want for medicine at a showground in Denmark, permission should be bought from DRF’s veterinary advisor previous to remedy, until this can be a “sequence or life-threatening state of affairs for the pony”.
The file states that Andreas stated the 2 drugs used aren’t at the FEI’s equine prohibited components checklist (EPSL), that the Danish federation follows the FEI laws, that he believes the management by the use of tube was once now not a contravention, and that two technical delegates handed the strong whilst the vet was once treating the pony.
The attraction committee stated the truth the technical delegates handed the strong can’t be equated with an acceptance of a given remedy. The committee stated it’s the vet’s and in the long run rider’s accountability to verify rules are complied with.
“It may be assumed that the remedy performed would now not be licensed through DRF’s veterinary advisor, as the 2 medicine would now not be licensed for the remedy of the illness in query,” learn the verdict.
“The pony has been medicated on an match web page with out prior permission and it’s beside the point that the medicine don’t seem at the FEI’s doping checklist. 4 instances the standard really useful dose of traumeel has been used, which the attraction committee unearths to be hanging. Duphalyte is liquid and administered through tube, which isn’t a voluntary consumption of liquid and thus a contravention.”
The attraction committee “assumes” that if the pony had most effective been handled with gut-relaxing medicine after prior approval from DRF’s veterinary advisor, the pony may be able to be allowed to take part, had he been assessed as are compatible to compete previous to the development. However on this case, Andreas’ personal vet performed the review with out the technical delegates and DRF’s veterinary advisor.
The attraction committee dominated there was once a breach of the rules and Andreas is disqualified from the category, and should go back the prizes. He was once additionally fined 5,000 DKK (£582). He can attraction the verdict inside 4 weeks.
Andreas Helgstrand informed H&H he had “not anything to do with the subject”, and requested H&H to procure a remark from the treating vet.
The vet, Dyrlæge Jonas Rasmussen, informed H&H he was once referred to as through the groom to inspect Jovian who had “discomfort”, and he suspected colic.
Mr Rasmusseen stated a part of the exam together with tubing Jovian, and the rationale he used duphalyte and traumeel was once as a result of he knew that they aren’t at the FEI ESPL. He added that Jovian made a rapid restoration, and inside an hour and a part to 2 hours, he was once “commonplace” once more and consuming.
“Instantly after my examination and management of traumeel and duphalyte, I emailed the veterinary advisor, Mette Uldahl. I wrote the e-mail to ensure that not anything was once hidden in what took place to the pony. Mette Uldahl didn’t reply to my e-mail till the start of the next week,” stated Mr Rasmussen.
“Right through the evening and subsequent morning Jovian was once utterly commonplace, and Andreas Helgstrand competed the pony. We don’t have any goal to trip a horse that isn’t are compatible to compete.
“The Danish federation has now determined to remove Andreas’ identify and superb him. The cause of that is that I must have made a telephone name to Mette Uldahl earlier than beginning the ‘remedy’ of Jovian, and that Mette Uldahl disagreed with the remedy finished. That is my mistake. I’m very at a loss for words about this ruling, and I think sorry for Andreas on this state of affairs. I’m nonetheless assured that on this state of affairs I did the most productive for the pony.”
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