Steve Guerdat provisionally banned after horses test positive
Last Updated: 22/07/15 12:24am
Olympic equestrian champion Steve Guerdat has been provisionally suspended after two of his horses tested positive for banned substances.
Nino des Bussonnets and Nasa showed traces of codeine and oripavine, which are prohibited, and the controlled substance morphine at an event in France in May, the international equestrian federation (FEI) announced.
Guerdat won the individual jumping gold medal on board Nino des Bussonnets at the 2012 London Olympics.
The pair has been shortlisted for next month’s European Championships by the Swiss team but their participation at Aachen is now in doubt.
Sabrina Zeender, secretary general of governing body FEI, said the "combination" of the three substances has "frequently been seen in contamination cases" but added that the organization's anti-doping unit has "to follow standard procedure".
Fellow Swiss rider Alessandra Bichsel and her mount mount Charivari KG have also been provisionally suspended after her horse also tested positive.
Guerdat, who also won bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games, and Bichsel were given a mandatory suspension prior to a full hearing, while the three horses were also banned for two months.
"The FEI offers the athlete... and the horse owner the opportunity for a preliminary hearing before the FEI tribunal to request the lifting of the provisional suspensions," the body said.
