The fourth-place finish of the Belgian eventing team at the Paris Olympics could be in jeopardy
The Belgian Equestrian Federation has been informed that Tine Magnus’ horse, Dia van het Lichterveld, had a positive test (A-sample) for a banned substance, Trazadone, during the Games.
“The Belgian Team in general and Tine Magnus particularly are very surprised about this result. Awaiting further steps in the procedure (analysis of B sample, ..) Tine Magnus has been provisionally suspended by the FEI,” the Belgian federation stated..
“Although all horses had been pre-tested and the team gave their utmost to prevent any incidents, this is the given situation which is currently having an impact on the team result,” the Belgian federation continued.
“We are now analyzing and clarifying the situation. Together with Tine Magnus, we are investigating what exactly happened and want to trace back to the situational details.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, Trazodone is used to treat depression. It is thought to work by increasing the activity of serotonin in the brain.
The Belgian federation added, “In the current situation, it is important to stress that the results of the Paris Olympic Games, both individual and team, will remain valid for the duration of the investigation.”
If the final decision disqualifies Magnus, the Swiss team would move up to fourth and the U.S. team would advance to sixth from seventh, with Sweden taking fifth place.
