105 days suspension for Bernardo Alves

Brazilian showjumper Bernardo Alves has been suspended for three and a half months, up to December 3, by the FEI Tribunal after it gave its final decision in the prohibited substance case involving the horse Chuppa Chup at the 2008 Olympic Games.

Alves was also fined 1750 Swiss Francs (1.150 €), and disqualified from the Olympic Games.

In reaching its conclusion the Tribunal concluded the substance at issue – Capsaicin – was a “Medication Class A” rather than a “Doping” substance based on its interpretation of the list of prohibited substances.

The Tribunal took into account that Capsaicin is not only a pain relieving substance, but also an agent that can be used for hypersensitisation purposes, and the fact that the sources of the presence of the substance argued by Alves “indicate severe negligence of the person responsible [Alves] by using a 'pain relieving' substance, including at the event, on the fetlocks of the horse's forelegs, without checking whether it contains any prohibited substances.”

Bernardo Alves has 30 days to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).