Russia’s Olympic Dressage Team Status Uncertain as Fallout from Country’s Anti-Drug Turmoil

Russia’s dressage team, the only one of the three equestrian disciplines to qualify for the 2020 Olympics, is caught in the long running drug testing turmoil involving the status of its athletes and the flag to compete under in Tokyo.

The squad of three riders and riders qualified at an International Equestrian Federation (FEI) designated event to be one of the 15 teams earning a start in dressage at Tokyo in late July.

The Russian riders and the horses that qualified were tested at World Anti-Doping Agency-authorized laboratories outside Russia as rquired by the FEI.

Controversy surrounding Russia’s own drug-testing system led to WADA earlier this week recommending a ban on Russian athletes from international events, including the Olympics and Paralympics, for four years.

Please click here to read the rest of the article as it appears on the Dressage News website.

Article written by: By KENNETH J. BRADDICK