A team veterinarian’s recommendation to use a commercially produced calming supplement on a horse competing at the Paris Olympic Games has led to the suspension of a Belgian rider and the country losing its fourth-place team standing in the 2024 Olympic eventing competition.
According to a final decision by the Fédération Equestre International Tribunal, released Monday, Belgian eventer Tine Magnus’ horse Dia Van Het Lichterveld Z tested positive for the antidepressant trazodone, a prohibited substance under FEI rules. Testing conducted at Magnus’ request by two highly regarded toxicologists determined the source of the trazodone was a supplement called Relax Pro, produced by the company Global Medics.
“The Relax Pro was used only twice by [Magnus] on the horse, and both instances upon the explicit advice of the team vet, since the horse was quite energetic,” the FEI Tribunal wrote in its decision.
While the veterinarian was not named in the decision, supplement manufacturer Global Medics has a professional partnership with the Equine Care Group veterinary practice, according to Global Medics’ website. Equine Care Group’s members include the team veterinarian for the Belgian Eventing Team, according to its website. Equine Care Group is also repeatedly named in the FEI decision.
In its decision, the tribunal noted that Magnus is typically meticulous about her horse’s feed and supplementation regimen and was acutely aware of, and adherent to, doping rules. It instead blamed the Belgian federation and the veterinarian, while also noting FEI rules nonetheless consider Magnus the person responsible for any drug violation.
“[Magnus] normally uses very limited number of supplements, which are all batch controlled,” the tribunal stated in its decision. “However, being on an Olympic team, she relied on the expertise and guidance provided by the team’s infrastructure, hence she relied on the advice of the team veterinarian and the reputation of the Equine Care Group. The fact that the supplements were given to her by the [national federation] and team vet shows no intentional reckless behavior, but rather a degree of procedural failing outside [her] immediate control.
“[Magnus] was acting upon the advice of the team vet, using supplement purchased and provided to her by the national federation, recognizing the explicit guarantee to be ‘doping free’ and trusting the undisputed reputation of the Equine Care Group,” the decision continued. “In addition, the Relax Pro producer is stating that it’s ‘free of doping substances’ on its website, and that it is to be used for temperamental horses during competition.”
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The tribunal took the unnamed veterinarian to task in its decision, noting in one place that he “more or less just gave his supplement regime” to Magnus’ horse, including several times without her knowledge, during the Olympics. It also questioned why the national federation didn’t take more control over complying with anti-doping rules.
“It is surprising that the [national federation]/team veterinarian encourages the use of over 14 different supplements for a horse, when considering the known risk of supplement use, and also the warnings that have been sent out to [national federations] and other stakeholders on a regular basis, and in particular in the clean sport messaging before the Olympic Games,” stated the decision.
In a social media post translated to English, Magnus reiterated her personal stance against doping and recalled how she first fought the drug test findings, initially thinking there was a mistake.
“I can with confirm with lifted head and declare that I have never deliberately used doping,” she wrote. “What turned out to be the case now, the vet team advised me to use some supplements. These supplements were sold by his company to the Belgian Federation and delivered. These supplements were then made available to me.”
After toxicology testing confirmed Relax Pro as the source of the trazodone found in her horse’s system, Magnus withdrew her initial objection to the test’s findings and entered a settlement agreement with the FEI. Under that agreement, the FEI imposed an ineligibility period of five months from the starting date of the final decision, with her provisional suspension, which began Sept. 3, 2024, credited toward that time, meaning she became eligible to compete again on Feb. 3, the day the final decision was published. She’s also been fined approximately $4,400. Her 28th-place individual finish and Belgium’s fourth-placed team finish were also disqualified.
Read the full text of the decision here.