The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) General Assembly has unanimously accepted the recommendations of the FEI List Group, and it has approved the updated Equine Prohibited Substances List for the 2011 season.
The list was put forward by the FEI List Group following a year of consultation with National Federations and experts, and after the highly successful Congress on the use of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) in the equine athlete hosted by the FEI in Lausanne, Switzerland in August.
According to the FEI, the 2011 list respects horse welfare and ensures a level playing field.
The list does not allow the use of NSAIDs in competition. However, it was agreed that the FEI should provide a greater level of guidance regarding the detection times for the post-event usage of certain NSAIDs, specifically phenylbutazone (Bute) and flunixin meglumine (Banamine), in commonly used low dosages.
Similarly, the 2011 Equine Prohibited Substances List does not permit the use of salicylic acid (the root compound in aspirin), at events, but it raises the current threshold level to coincide with the limits of other international regulators. The FEI has always had a threshold level for salicylic acid, but it has now revised this to align with racing authorities' levels.
List Group Chair John McEwen highlighted in the List Group Report that when approaching management and training, there must always be a balance between required rest and medication to ; competitors shouldn't rely on medication to effect a recovery.
The 2011 Equine Prohibited Substances List can be found on the FEI Clean Sport website.
Disclaimer: Seek the advice of a qualified veterinarian before proceeding with any diagnosis, treatment, or therapy.
