enlightened horsemanship through touch

In an August 4 announcement, Horsetalk.com, the New Zealand online magazine, said,

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, whose wife Princess Haya of Jordan is president of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), has been banned from endurance racing for six months over horse doping.
The ban on the Dubai ruler came as a result of his horse Tahhan testing positive in two two-star races for a hypertension drug and the steroid stanozolol.
Sheikh Mohammed was also ordered to pay 4500 Swiss francs in fines and legal costs.
His trainer, Abdullah bin Huzaim, who admitted giving the horse drugs before the desert races at Bahrain and Dubai, was handed a one-year ban.

The Sheikh and Princess Haya of Jordan

In my post entitled, An Alarming Alliance, I linked to a Horse Connection.com editorial entitled, The Emperor Has No Riding Breeches by publisher Geoff Young. In it Young warned of the FEI’s dangerously close relationship with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, also an alleged supporter of the Mongol Derby. It appears that this possibly mutually beneficial association is on at least a six month hiatus. One wonders whether the Sheikh will continue to exert his influence over the sport of endurance riding while banned from participating in it.

Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum aboard Tahhan image courtesy www.endurance.net

“This behaviour is not acceptable and needs to be sanctioned severely,” the FEI said.

Sheikh Mohammed was suspended for six months starting from April 3, the date of the initial notification. He was fined 3000 Swiss francs and ordered to contribute CHF1500 towards legal costs. The trainer, Abdullah bin Huzaim, was suspended for 12 months, also from April 3. He was also fined CHF4000 and ordered to contribute CHF1500 towards legal costs.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions and speculations in this post are those of the writer and are NOT NEWS. Any news contained herein is quoted as such.  All else is speculation.

© 2009 enlightened horsemanship through touch and Kim Cox Carneal

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