Doping casts shadow over Games riding

By Sophie Taylor

HONG KONG (Reuters) - As exultant riders made their final victory lap of the Games and left the floodlit arena on Thursday, the issue of doping once again cast a shadow over Olympic equestrian sport.

Hong Kong, which was made host city for riding sports after China was unable to guarantee a disease-free zone, had spent $150 million on state-of-the-art facilities, including rare anti-doping test laboratories on-site.

But the discovery that four horses tested positive for capsaicin, a derivative of chilli peppers banned for its hypersensitizing and pain-relieving properties, marred the final days of equestrian competition.

Alexander McLin, Secretary General of the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), told Reuters that the sport was "not unique in having problems with doping".

"To acknowledge that is a very particular issue, because we have to tackle doping and medication issues which also perhaps skews perceptions at times," McLin said.

"What's also very important to being an Olympics sport is an effective system and in terms of deterrence of doping and I think that's exactly what we're doing." he added.

POSITIVE TEST

Norway's Tony Andre Hansen -- the top-ranking individual rider after the second show jumping qualifier on Monday -- was provisionally suspended from the Olympic Games after his horse tested positive.

Hansen was a member of the Norwegian team that won bronze in Monday's team show jumping competition. The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) has not made a decision on whether Norway should keep their medals.

Three other riders, all show jumpers, have been suspended after positive tests for their horses -- Denis Lynch of Ireland, Bernardo Alves of Brazil and Germany's Christian Ahlmann.

Equestrianism has long been buffeted by concerns over doping and unethical practices.

Germany's Ludger Beerbaum, who came seventh overall in the individual jumping contest on Thursday, was disqualified in the Athens Olympics and his team stripped of their gold medal after his horse tested positive.

"It's just a shame that it's happened, it's a big thing here and it's going to be publicized in the wrong way. It's sad for the sport," said Australian rider Matt Williams.

The actual riding during the two-week-long equestrian events was colorful and at times breathtaking, featuring titans of the sport such as Anky Van Grunsven of the Netherlands in dressage and the dramatic comeback of Canada's Eric Lamaze in showjumping.

While there were some disappointing pullouts by well-known names such as British jumpers John and Michael Whitaker, there was also a contingent of fresh-faced first-time Olympians, including the entire Australian eventing team and Alex Hua Tian, the 18-year-old Eton schoolboy hoping to put China on the map. (Additional reporting by James Pomfret; Editing by Alex Richardson)

(For more stories visit our multimedia website "2008 Summer Olympics" here; and see our blog at blogs.reuters.com/china)