Walsh determined to clean up equestrian sport after Beijing

THE chairman of Horse Sport Ireland, Joe Walsh, yesterday said he was determined to “clean up” equestrian sport in the wake of Lantinus, the horse ridden by Denis Lynch, testing positive for the banned substance, capsaicin, at the Olympics.

The former agriculture minister was speaking after a meeting of the Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) board, which, as expected, set up an expert group to advise it on the procedures required to avoid another repeat of the Olympic controversy.

“There is no place for performance-enhancing substances in equestrian sport and I’m determined to clean it up,” said Mr Walsh.