The equestrian gate opens for extended doping tests

The International Equestrian Federation, FEI, is working to develop a regulatory framework for testing even outside competition.

According to Kallings, it is a legal and economic issue before Swedish equestrian sports can take another step to detect and counteract doping and unauthorized medication of horses.

"If we get a regulatory framework that applies outside of competition, we have the tools and the laboratory has the opportunity to take hair samples where you can track anabolic steroids months back," he says.

Kallings has long experience of anti-doping work and sits in his role as associate veterinarian in the equestrian association's newly formed equine welfare council. He does not see doping as a problem in the jumping, dressage and field competitions, either among riders or horses, but there is still some to do about the unauthorized medication of horses.

- Doping in equestrian sports is very unusual except on the distance riding side and there the United Arab Emirates is the great grief child. On the other hand, there is neglect and ignorance about unauthorized medication, microdosing and blaming for contamination. What the riders are most worried about are various forms of contamination.

He gives examples.

- A person has medication, a tablet in his hand or has smeared himself with a local anesthetic ointment and then he puts his fingers in the horse's mouth, gives him a sugar bite or inserts the bite. If you have medicine on your fingers, it will be a small medication. As the analysis technique is so advanced, small amounts are found.

How extensive is the problem?

- In some cases, it is considered to be one in international canter and distance riding. I do not directly believe that some here in Gothenburg have microdosed. Riders, horse owners, trainers and veterinarians are very keen on each horse and it is great pleasure that they should feel good and not be overused.

- That's the general view. When it comes to championships, we have seen people do anything with themselves in the Olympics. As far as the horse is concerned, you also run the risk.

Obviously, the anti-doping work has made great progress.

- Historically, we have had problems. It was a massive information effort and sampling for the London 2012 Olympics but since then there have been no positive samples on the horse side.

National team rider Malin Baryard Johnsson points out that awareness of the regulations is good among the elite riders and their employees. Both for themselves and the horses.

- I don't touch anything that I don't know I can take. I don't know, I look it up. I have been doing this for the last 20 years. Horses and stables cannot always be checked. But we who are serious - and we all are - do not hold on and destroy each other. I'm not scared and walk around worrying.

She would like the anti-doping work to be more comprehensive. Not least on the horse side.

- I think you can test even more.