OLYMPICS SHOW JUMPING BOMBSHELL

[Faithkat]

1025: Bombshell news from the show jumping... A number of horses have tested positive for banned substances - don't know which ones or what substance. Four have been disqualified from tonight's finale - and they will also be dq'd from the team event a few days ago. GB finished 7th in the team event - so we don't think it would affect them - but we believe it could affect the medals. Think something should develop in next 10 mins with a press conference at 1100 BST.

 

[xspiralx]

I wonder who!!!

 

[Faithkat]

Roll on 11.00 BST . . . . . I copied the piece from the BBC's Live Commentary on-line site, BTW

 

[Santa_Claus]

i was about to post this as well!

Sounds interesting!!

 

[lucretia]

well we know about one german and i can think of a couple of other candidates

 

[xspiralx]

When is 11 BST?

 

[CaleruxShearer]

ooohhh excitement...what time is the coverage on the actual jumping on?

 

[jnb]

[ QUOTE ]
When is 11 BST?

[/ QUOTE ]

11 o'clock British Summer Time i.e 11am today here in Britain!

 

[Santa_Claus]

15mins.......

 

[xspiralx]

Ohhhhh. Feel a bit thick now lol!

thanks

 

[Santa_Claus]

also sounds like could be more than 4 horses total, it just says 4 are disqualified from the individual final there is no mention of any horses not making the top 35....

 

[Jomanser]

Irish Rider Denis Lynch has withdrawn after horse tested positive according to BBC website.

 

[Santa_Claus]

UPDATE

1050: Serious faces now. It has been confirmed that four horses - representing Brazil, Germany, Ireland and Norway - have been suspended for testing positive for a prohibited substance.

 

[librauk]

well thats got be , Denis lynch, Tony Hanson, christain Alhman, but wonder who it si for Brazil ??

 

[lucretia]

whichever one isnt jumping

 

[dieseldog]

Stupid people - why do it?

 

[equifun]

From the FEI site :

The following combinations will not be competing in the Jumping individual final competition held tonight (Thursday, 21 August). They have been provisionally suspended by the FEI further to doping/medication control tests that indicated the presence of capsaicin in each horse.

Rider Horse

Bernardo Alves (BRA) Chupa Chup
Christian Ahlmann (GER) Cöster
Denis Lynch (IRL) Latinus
Tony Andre Hansen (NOR) Camiro

Capsaicin is classified as a« doping » prohibited substance given its hypersensitizing properties, and as a « medication class A » prohibited substance for its pain relieving properties.

As previously communicated, the FEI provisionally suspends all competitors who test positive in doping or positive medication cases at the Olympic Games in the interests of the integrity of the sport.

Christian Ahlmann was notified of his suspension yesterday evening (Wednesday, 20 August) further to receipt of the test results by the FEI from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Laboratory yesterday afternoon.

A preliminary hearing was held at 10h00 this morning (21 August) before a member of the FEI Tribunal who confirmed the suspension.

The other riders - Tony Andre Hansen, Bernardo Alves, Denis Lynch - were notified earlier today (21 August) further to receipt of their positive test results this morning. All three of them were provisionally suspended.

Preliminary hearings were held with the respective National Federations in the following order: 14h00 – Brazil; 15h00 – Ireland; 16h00 – Norway. The hearings were held before a member of the FEI Tribunal who confirmed the suspension.

FURTHER STEPS

Confirmatory analysis of the B-samples will be carried out very shortly according to the accelerated procedure in place for the Olympic Games. Upon report of a positive B-sample result, evidence and written submissions will be requested from the rider, and a three member panel of the FEI Tribunal will be appointed. This panel should take a decision as to the applicable sanctions as early as possible further to the accelerated procedure, and providing for a hearing to be held as necessary. The competition results will be amended as indicated in the Tribunal’s final decision.

REPORT BY THE SECOND FEI VICE PRESIDENT ON DRESSAGE

A detailed report on the findings of the FEI Second Vice President concerning a meeting held in Hong Kong was produced. The conclusion of the report is that the meetings had not affected the judging. The procedure will, however, be tightened so that this will not happen again. Dressage has had an excellent competition which was judged to the high standards expected at the Olympic Games.

 

[Santa_Claus]

If the above is correct Switzerland move up to Bronze and netherlands to 4th and us to 5th. Norway and Germany drop right to the bottom of the team results...

 

[TarrSteps]

Capsaicin, eh? Is that an over the counter drug here? It's a pretty common ingredient in a lot of "alternative" rubs/liniments. Looking like another "valerian" situation where people don't think of it as a drug so don't worry enough.

Does anyone know if they've tested for it before? I don't even know what the clearance time is for it . . .

 

[dieseldog]

So if GB moves to 5th have they met their targets given by GB Sport and will keep their lottery funding at the same level?

Do you think these were deliberate dopings or an accident?

 

[carys220]

It sounds to me like deliberate dopings...the fact that it's 4 random horses all from different teams.....where all of the horses tested though?

I feel so sorry for Norway, they have a smaller population than London so to win a medal in a team event is fantastic...and Tony is such an honest guy, I can't see him having anything to do with this.

 

[harrihjc]

Capsaicin...isn't that the chemical in chilli's that make them hot? Seems like a very odd thing to give to them, maybe it's different in horses to other animals, but I can't see it being in any way beneficial

 

[cefyl]

Capsaicin is from the chili plant. It is used as a "sensitiser" - i.e if applied to a horses leg will back it more sensitive to touch (hitting a fence). I find it hard to believe though that 4 of the top riders would be so stupid as to use the same substance at the Olympics where they know there is almost a certainty of being tested for a substance banned under FEI rules.

However capsaicin is also found in pest repellants - i.e. rat / mouse, cat deterants. The Chineses use the stuff ALLOT in this. Also sometimes used in anti-wood chewing products.

Also they use it in general muscle rubs and sprays (Tiger Balm is a good example you can buy it at any chemist in the UK). Chinese Green Oil, various others you can buy in any local shop in HK or China.

It is extremely hard to remove residue off the skin. Even if you have prepared chilis for cooking without wearing gloves the residue left on the hands even after washing them can cause burning of the eyes if you rub them with your hands.

 

[juliehannah58]

Wow, I don't believe it!

Sounds very odd, why would they risk it? I can't imagine they knew it was a banned substance as it doesn't really seem to have any real positive effects, as I understand it's pain killing properties are very limited.

 

[lucretia]

No and i know Pip the groom really well she has been with tony 12 years , she just wouldnt. its not as if they came here as one of the leading fancies. there is somethiing wrong here.

 

[PippiPony]

Doesn't it seem odd that they were all done for the same drug? Seems a bit odd to me. Almost too much of a co-incidence?

 

[BigBird146]

BBC equestrian commentator Michael Tucker told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It's very bad news all round, particularly as two of them were highly thought of as individual medals and all four riders are world-class jockeys.

"Capsaicin is basically rubbed onto the front of the legs and it makes the horses pick up their legs.

"The testing facilities and laboratories here in Hong Kong are second to none in the world class. The B samples are going to be carried out very, very quickly indeed.

 

[GoJo]

sounds very fishy to me.

 

[TarrSteps]

It's also transdermal to some degree, is it not? I know for the rubs it's often mixed with something like DMSO to speed the transfer but I think it works like that at least somewhat on its own.

It is a sensitiser - obviously why it's controlled for sj'ers - but it's main use is as a topical arthritis preparation. I know it's been proven to "deaden" nerve endings with repeated use and provide some anti-inflammatory relief. The DMSO mix is commonly available over the counter as EquiBlock in North America and is a standard product for race horses.

(I've used it for a horse with arthritis in the past. Can't say as it made a miraculous difference but I think it did work a bit better than straight DMSO. That said, all those transdermal substances scare me a bit!)

 

[cefyl]

It is transdermal. Basically you can have the substance in a liquid or cream or gel form on your hand, pat a horse anywhere on the body, substance would be left in hair / skin contact. As it is an irritant the capillaries would immediately respond with a rush of blood to the area, skin is permeable and substance would then be rapidly absorbed into the blood stream. Spray with the substance in would also have the same quick transdermal effect into the system. Voila. I still cannot think how on earth 4 would be so stupid as to do this. And actually a skin scraping off the legs would definately confirm if it had been used as a sensitiser there.

Cannot help but wonder even as a long shot if there are any type of shrubs or greenery around the equine centre that are of the chilli (capsicum) family.

Now Maclain Ward??? mmmmm oh sorry that was spiked boots at Aachen.