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Andrew Kocher on Squirt Gun at the Grand Prix of Amsterdam (picture from January 2020)
Photo:
ESPA Photo Agency / ZUMA Wire / imago images
The world equestrian federation Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) has excluded the US show jumper Andrew Kocher from national and international tournaments for ten years.
The FEI Tribunal regards it as proven that Kocher administered electric shocks to horses via the spurs in competitions as well as in training, it said in a statement.
The rider is also not allowed to attend tournaments as a spectator and must also pay a fine of 10,000 Swiss francs and legal costs of 7,500 Swiss francs.
He will be retroactively disqualified from eight tournaments between June 2018 and November 2019.
According to information from a whistleblower, the French magazine “Grand Prix Replay” made the incident public last year, reports the specialist magazine “St.
Georg «.
The FEI then initiated an investigation and opened proceedings against the rider in October 2020. Kocher was temporarily suspended on October 28, 2020.
The period will be counted towards the ban, so Kocher is not allowed to start until October 27, 2030, the association said.
According to FEI regulations, any use of electric shocks on horses is considered abuse.
US association supports the lockdown
Like »St.
Georg «reported with reference to the French magazine, the electric shocks were controlled by a push button in the rider's hand.
The necessary wires ran under the clothes.
The US association United States Equestrian Fédération (USEF) announced in a statement that it "clearly" supported the decision of the FEI Tribunal.
"The US show jumping team does not tolerate any form of fraud or abuse of horses," it continues.
The rider has 21 days to appeal against the judgment at the International Sports Court Cas.
ngo / Reuters
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