Brazil Olympic rider Pessoa’s horse fails drug test

RUFUS, the horse of show jumper Rodrigo Pessoa, has tested positive for a banned substance at the Olympics, bringing to six the number of horses to have done so.

The Brazilian was the silver medallist at the Athens Olympics, before subsequently being presented with the gold medal forfeited by Cian O’Connor.

According to the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), Rufus tested positive for the banned substance nonivamide, part of the capsaicinoid family and “classified as a doping prohibited substance, given its hypersensitising properties, and as a medication class A prohibited substance for its pain relieving properties”.

Pessoa rode Rufus to fifth place in the individual competition in Hong Kong, the venue for the equestrian elements of the Games. The B sample from the horse will be tested today.

The A sample was received by the laboratory on Saturday, August 23 following the individual jumping final. A preliminary hearing was held last Friday and Pessoa was subsequently suspended.

The Brazilian, son of the legendary Nelson Pessoa, is the fifth show jumper and sixth rider to have a horse fail a drugs tests at the Olympics. Tipperary rider Denis Lynch is among the other four show jumpers, whose horses all tested positive for a capsaicin.

The German-based 32-year-old said his use of a product called Equi-block was to blame for the presence of capsaicin in Lantinus. Lynch said he regularly used Equi-block to loosen the muscles on the gelding’s back. He is to appear before an FEI tribunal next Saturday to argue his case.

The other three riders to go before the tribunal this weekend are Brazilian Bernardo Alves (Chupa Chup), Germany’s Christian Ahlmann (Cöster) and Norwegian Tony Andre Hansen (Camiro), who is trained by former Irish Army officer and show jumper Gerry Mullins. Also set to face the tribunal is US dressage rider Courtney King who rode Mythilus to 13th place in the dressage competition. The horse tested positive for Felbinac, which is applied topically for relief of pain and inflammation.

The FEI said it is the final doping/medication case from the 2008 Games. The six horse-doping cases match the number among athletes in different sports during the Games.