Global Medics, whose product Relax Pro was given to an Olympic eventing horse at the Paris Games, contends in a public statement that the supplement was contaminated with Trazodone at the production level,
Relax Pro was found to be responsible for a positive doping test on the horse Dia van het Lichterveld Z, ridden by Tine Magnus during the 2024 Olympics. Her disqualification led to the loss of the Belgian team’s fourth-place finish. The rider had been told by the team vet to use Relax Pro.
Trazodone is an anti-depressant that is sometimes prescribed as a sleep aid for humans.
“We deeply regret this incident—for Tine Magnus, for the entire Belgian eventing team, and for the equestrian sport as a whole,” the company noted, adding that the situation “is beyond our control.”
“This is not a case of deliberate doping aimed at enhancing performance but rather an unfortunate case of contamination. As soon as thorough research confirmed that a batch of Relax Pro contained traces of Trazodone, Global Medics transparently communicated this objective information on its official website, pending further in-depth investigation.
The affected batches (24D02CA and CA/23J31) were immediately withdrawn from the market. Those who have the supplement with those numbers should contact Global Medics. The company emphasized that in terms of health issues, the supplement contained “a clinically irrelevant dose of Trazodone,” adding, “We can also confirm with certainty that all newly produced products are completely free of this contamination.
“Current findings indicate that the contamination occurred at the production level, resulting from a contaminated magnesium raw material sourced from Spain.” Investigations into the situation are continuing.
“While Tine Magnus is undoubtedly the greatest victim of this situation, Global Medics has also suffered significant reputational and business damage. We emphatically state that Trazodone was never intentionally added to our products, contrary to some insinuations in equestrian media and on social platforms. This contamination occurred entirely outside of our control, at the raw material supplier level,” the company maintained.
It noted, “This incident raises an important question: how can supplement distributors and riders protect themselves from unforeseen contamination of this nature? It is concerning and disappointing that, in such crisis situations, there is not more unity and understanding within the industry to support Tine Magnus and collectively seek solutions for the future.”
When the investigation is complete, the company promised to share the whole story.