Drugs and cruelty allegations are damaging beyond Irish equine circles, writes Grania Willis, Equestrian Correspondent
The news that Cian O'Connor's Olympic gold medal horse Waterford Crystal had tested positive for prohibited substances has devastated everyone in the country who joined in the burst of pride and euphoria when the 24-year-old Kildare rider claimed victory in Athens at the end of August. But if there is a confirmed positive on the B sample, that - coupled with this week's allegations of cruelty within the sport - could have repercussions that will reach way beyond Irish equine circles.
The term "rapping" - the sensitising of horses' legs to make them jump higher - suddenly entered the public's lexicon on Monday. Rapping in its most benign form involves hitting a horse's legs with a pole as it jumps a fence. But, at its most extreme, rapping can also involve sensitising agents used after the skin on the horse's legs has been cut or pricked to ensure maximum pain when the horse hits a fence. The use of prohibited substances has been linked to rapping, with horses agitated by pain and fear being given sedatives to make them more manageable.
Following revelations about the practice on RTÉ's Morning Ireland on Monday, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) issued a statement claiming that there had been no complaints about rapping levelled against any Irish riders, nor were there any cases pending.
The Royal Dublin Society disclosed on Tuesday that three official warnings had been issued to riders at the 2003 Dublin Horse Show for mistreatment of horses, including rapping. The warnings did not involve any international riders or members of the Irish team.
While not condoning the practice, people inside the equestrian industry are certainly aware of it, but outsiders were understandably horrified, and there have been calls from animal welfare bodies for the Minister for Agriculture to clean up the sport.
Samsung, sponsors of the international Nations Cup Super League, this week pledged its continued support for show jumping, but potential new sponsors must be affected by the negative publicity. Already the German Federation has lost a massive four-year team contract from O2, cancelled on Monday after news of two positive dope tests in the German Olympic show-jumping squad.
O'Connor, a godson of Sir Anthony O'Reilly, has the backing of both Independent News and Media and Waterford Crystal. As Olympic champion, he was set to earn huge amounts from product endorsements. But there must now be serious doubts about how many sponsors will continue to pump money into the sport.
The fate of both the team and individual show jumping gold medals from the 28th Olympiad depends on the results of testing on the B samples from both Waterford Crystal and Ludger Beerbaum's German team gold medal ride Goldfever. But the spectre of doping allegations hanging over the Athens results will do equestrian sport no favours when the International Olympic Committee undertakes its review of the sports that will be included in the Games after Beijing.
Apart from the doping allegations, three horses suffered serious leg injuries during the show jumping in Athens, including team silver and individual bronze medallist America's Royal Kaliber, which was put down at the end of last week after complications from colic surgery.
SO, CAN THE sport survive the glare of the media spotlight and maintain its position in the Olympic movement? Michael Stone, FEI sports director, is doubtful. "A 'serious' threat is putting it too strongly, but these things are damaging for equestrian sport when the IOC has declared it wants to have other sports in the Olympics," Stone said yesterday. "Nobody knows how much rapping goes on and it probably isn't as widespread as people are saying. On the doping front, Jacques Rogge [IOC president] has said on numerous occasions that having someone test positive is actually a good day for sport because you're controlling it well, but it also damages a sport's perception within the IOC.
"The ordinary IOC member can't differentiate between medication and doping, and in some cases it's badly managed medication. They'll see two Olympic medallists losing their medals, if that's what happens, and it'll be interpreted as doping when it might not be a deliberate attempt to enhance performance."
Olympic Council of Ireland president Pat Hickey is more optimistic, however. "There's absolutely no talk whatsoever about equestrian sports being under threat," he said from a meeting of the European Olympic Committees in Budapest yesterday. "Jacques Rogge said after the Games that every sport will be put under the microscope, but just because there are positive tests doesn't mean that a sport is going to get put out. There were five positive tests in track and field and five in weight lifting, but there's no talk of putting them out. Equestrian is under no more threat than any other sport.
"If it did come under threat I would be the first person to fight and lobby to keep equestrian in the Games because it's such an important sport for Ireland, but I personally don't think it is under threat at the moment."