Per CotH article, no horses tested positive during these games. Gotta say, I am kind of surprised. So is everyone just getting more compliant? Better at avoiding accidental contamination? Or, to put a cynical spin on it, are the cheaters getting better?
I’ll take a different choice: no new tests were introduced at the WEG. Everyone knows to avoid the things that tests have been developed for. It’s when new tests are introduced that people get in trouble.
There was a recent article in the NY Times about changes in the FEI’s drug policy, which included recognizing a difference between trace elements in amounts too small to have any effect, and amounts that might actually do something to/for the horse.
I don’t know if that made a difference this time around.
I thought that was to go into effect when the limited bute rule went into effect?
I think all the greater communication (less likely a vet is going to approve something like a steroid creme a la Goldfever without triple checking first), the advance testing allowed, along with the no new tests is probably the key. Maybe heavy emphasis on “no new tests” (as far as we know).
DMK- I don’t know about the timing of the rule changes, or if that was mentioned in the article I saw.
I have to think the FEI had so much egg on the face after the World Cup, they had to be relieved to get through WEG without any drug-related trauma.
World Cup AND the last two Olympics! Yeah, I bet a big sigh of relief on this one…
Have to keep in mind that only 11% of the 752 horses at the WEG were tested.
From the FEI press release:
“Under FEI Veterinary Regulations, samples from a minimum of 5% of competing horses are tested, but almost 11% of the 752 horses competing in Kentucky were tested. A total of 140 samples were taken from 82 horses, with blood being taken from all 82, plus urine where possible. All individual medal horses were tested, as well as one member of each medal winning team. Random samples were also taken throughout the 16-day event.”
So actually 82 horses were clean. We don’t know about the rest. 
