Sport

Walsh and Hickey sign agreement

EQUESTRIAN: IN THE run-up to London 2012, Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) and the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) have drawn up an…

MARGIE McLOONE Equestrian correspondent
Tue Aug 10 2010 - 01:00

EQUESTRIAN:IN THE run-up to London 2012, Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) and the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) have drawn up an agreement which aims to ensure no repeat of the incidents which clouded the country's participation in the show jumping competitions in Hong Kong and Athens.

The agreement, which covers a wide range of topics and was signed yesterday by the OCI president Pat Hickey and Joe Walsh, chairman of Horse Sport Ireland, sets out a number of measures which both bodies will put in place between now and the 2012 Olympics.

These include:

* A medication and anti-doping logbook into which riders on the long-list will enter every product or substance they use on their horse in the lead up to the Games.

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Along with this a declaration confirming it contains everything administered to the horse, which will be submitted to HSI’s team veterinary surgeon at regular intervals.

* HSI is to introduce a compulsory education course for each licensed international rider in relation to medication and anti-doping regulations. The OCI will have an input into this course.

* The establishment of a joint OCI/HSI steering group to oversee matters in the lead up to the London 2012.

“This agreement should give everyone great confidence that, whatever problems we had in past Olympics in show jumping, these should not happen in the future,” said Hickey yesterday.

“Once the World Equestrian Games are over in September, everything will be in place to ensure that participation by Ireland’s equestrian team at the London Olympics will not be overshadowed by horse doping issues,” he added.

Walsh said HSI was pleased this agreement had been reached and that everyone was clear as to what the protocols will be in the lead up to 2012.

“A huge number of changes have been implemented over the past 18 months and we are pleased to have this protocol in place with the OCI,” said Walsh.

“Nobody wants a repeat of what happened in the last two Olympics and we and the OCI are determined that every possible measure will be in place.”

Walsh also pointed out that in 2009 a total of 107 horses ridden by Irish riders had been tested in international competition and all had tested negative.

“This is as it should be and we must strive to ensure in so far as we can that we have no further cases arise involving Irish riders,” he concluded.