Irish show jumper Jessica Kurten has until Monday, 12 November, to explain how a banned drug entered her horse’s system.
Random blood samples were taken from Jessica’s horse Castle Forbes Maike at La Baule, France, in May. Tests on two samples have since returned positive for a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug called Etoricoxib.
While not widely known for its use in horses, Etoricoxib is classed as a “medication” substance rather than a “doping” substance.
As such, the presence of Etoricoxib in the horse’s blood is a minor infringement of the rules set out by the governing body of horse sport, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI).
“It’s absolutely standard procedure,” said a spokesman for the FEI, who added: “She requested a longer deadline, but we set it to 12 November. We are doing our best not to drag it on forever.”
If Jessica Kurten accepted liability, she could pay a CHF750 (£320) fine and forfeit the €22,000 (£15,400) she won at the show.
But the show jumper insists her horse was not given any drug, and has said she wants the case heard in front of an FEI tribunal. Jessica has also publicly accused the FEI of bungling the case.
Jessica Kurten has until 12 November to explain how the drug could have possibly entered Castle Forbes Maike’s system, after which a date will be set for her tribunal.
