Kürten: Positive test to be probed
Speaking from Switzerland, he said: “We are going to look at how this information leaked. This jeopardises the rider.
“From the FEI’s point of view, it is always disappointing when something is leaked. It does not give time for due process and allow riders to defend themselves. We need to find out how this got out.”
Ms Kürten is awaiting the testing of a B sample and Dubliner Mr Stone said he could not see the benefit to the German-based Antrim woman of releasing the story of the positive test herself.
Castle Forbes Maike tested positive for the as-yet-unknown substance at a show in May at La Baule, France, where Ms Kürten won the grand prix.
Yesterday, she reacted strongly when approached by an RTÉ TV reporter, who commiserated with her after she finished with eight faults in the final of the European Championships with Castle Forbes Libertina in Mannheim, Germany.
The world number four rider said: “There is a pack of a**holes in Ireland who are trying to give me a bad time.
The only one thing you should know, the positive test was not Libertine, it was Maike. I never doped my horse and I will prove it.”
In 2004, Castle Forbes Libertina tested positive in Calgary, Canada, with Ms Kürten claiming it was the result of contaminated feed she was forced to use at the show.
She was exonerated by the B sample, which proved negative and is confident the same will happen this time around.
Ms Kürten was at the centre of controversy earlier last week at the European Championships when it emerged she had asked that Libertina be stabled away from Cian O’Connor’s horse Irish Independent Echo Beach. However, the horse was moved in with the Irish mounts when team manager Robert Splaine arrived.
The Irish team subsequently crashed out of the championships in 13th place, ending their hopes of qualifying for the 2008 Olympics.
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