More than a year has passed since the Olympics, but finally the winner of the team gold medal in show jumping has been determined. And it\’s the United States.
That\’s because the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled on Sept. 5 against Ludger Beerbaum, the German star whose horse Goldfever was found to have Betamethasone in his system in the routine post-competition drug testing.
The FEI Judicial Committee ruled last Dec. 2 that Goldfever and Beerbaum would have to be disqualified from the Olympics, even though it accepted his and other German officials\’ testimony that the medication had been given to treat a skin irritation on the left foreleg. The FEI Judicial Committee “was of the opinion that it had no other option than to disqualify Goldfever” because Betamethasone is a prohibited substance.
Beerbaum, the 1992 Olympic individual gold medalist, then filed an appeal to the CAS on Feb. 3.
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In its just-released analysis, the CAS agreed “that the interests of the sport must take precedence over the interests of any individual,” according to a statement from the Federation Equestre Internationale.
The statement added that the CAS considered the fact that the evidence indicated the horse received no unfair advantage as a result of the medication\’s administration and that the treatment was undertaken to preserve the horse\’s health. But, in its opinion the CAS underlined the indisputable consideration that Beerbaum or other German team representatives should have sought FEI officials\’ authorization to use the substance. Consequently, they concluded that the FEI Judicial Committee had made the only decision possible in the interest of the sport.
Goldfever jumped two faultless rounds in the Nations Cup, propelling Germany to an eight-fault total and an apparent third consecutive Olympic team gold medal. Without his two perfect rounds, Germany\’s total is 21 faults, leaving them with the bronze medal. The U.S. team and Sweden, tied with 20 faults, had jumped off for the silver medal, a jump-off in which the U.S. riders easily triumphed.
The U.S. team members were Chris Kappler (on Royal Kaliber), Beezie Madden (on Authentic), Peter Wylde (on Fein Cera) and McLain Ward (on Sapphire).
