Denis Lynch suspended for 90 days

Denis Lynch says he will not be appealing the three-month suspension given by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) tribunal yesterday. In announcing its decision, the tribunal also fined the Germany-based rider €1,142 and has ordered him to pay €1,305 towards costs.

The 32-year-old's suspension began on August 21st, when he was stopped from competing in the final round of the individual show jumping at the Olympic Games in Hong Kong. It will finish on November 21st.

“With the FEI taking nearly two months to announce its decision, there seems little point me now appealing it,” Lynch said.

“I just want to get back in the ring and I feel the best way that I can thank my family, friends and my owner, Thomas Fruhmann, for their support over the past number of weeks is to start winning again. Before I do, however, I will go back home to thank people personally.”

Lynch was immediately suspended from competition when his mount, Lantinus, and three other horses, tested positive to the banned substance capsaicin at the Games.

In arriving at its decision, the FEI tribunal took into account the Tipperary-born rider's good record, the hardship he had already suffered and that, on the day he was suspended, he had immediately identified the product which proved to be the source of the prohibited substance.

The tribunal members also stated that capsaicin is “a newly detectable substance which is often used by riders for legitimate therapeutic reasons”.

Brazil's Bernardo Alves, whose horse Chupa Chup also tested positive to capsaicin at the same time, was last week given a three-and-a-half- month suspension (finishing on December 3rd).

His compatriot, Rodrigo Pessoa, whose Rufus was later found to have tested positive to nonivamide, similarly newly detectable, was banned for four-and-a-half months, his suspension running from August 29th to January 10th.