Fight Against Doping -- FEI to Investigate Presidential Family; Lifetime Ban for Olympic Champion

The son of FEI president Princess Haya’s husband is under investigation for doping by the federation. (Getty Images) Equestrian Federation to Investigate President’s Family

An investigation from the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and an expected appearance in front of the federation’s tribunal is the next step for two family members of federation’s president, Princess Haya of Jordan, who are accused of doping.

Sheik Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, her husband’s son, rode his horse Eo Fawati in an endurance race in February, where the horse tested positive for metabolites of the anabolic steroid stanozolol.

Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Haya’s husband rode his horse Tahhan, which twice tested positive for banned substances.

Haya, who is also an IOC member, will recuse herself from the investigation.

The tribunal could suspend both men from competition.

Olympic Champion Receives “Lifetime Ban

Olympic champion in cycling Tyler Hamilton received an eight year ban for his second doping offense. The United States Anti Doping Agency said the ban is “effectively” for life. Olympic champion Tyler Hamilton received an eight year ban from cycling, which USADA says will be a lifetime ban. (Getty Images)

"In the sport of cycling, eight years ineligibility for a 38-year old athlete is effectively a lifetime ban, and an assurance that he is penalized for what would have been the remainder of his competitive cycling career," USADA chief executive Travis Tygart said.

USADA said a urine sample collected out-of-competition from Hamilton on Feb. 9, resulted in "an adverse analytical finding for testosterone or its precursors.”

Hamilton, who won gold in the time trial at the Athens Olympics, admitting his wrong doing, saying the banned DHEA substance came from an over the counter anti-depression medicine.

"What I did was wrong and yes, I did know it was on the list of banned substances. I also knew that USADA could have shown up any day and at any time to test me.

"But, I was going through a very rough moment and I was desperate. I heard about it and I thought I would try it out as an act of desperation," said Hamilton.

Hamilton announced his retirement in April when news of the test came out.

Olympian’s B Sample Negative

The Dominican Olympic Committee announced weightlifter Yudelquis Contreras’ “B” sample from the Beijing Olympics was negative, clearing her name of doping allegations.

However, the IOC said it was withholding judgment at the moment while waiting for a full report from the lab where her sample was tested. The Dominican Olympic Committee said Yudelquis Contreras’ (center) B sample came back negative for CERA.

Conterars finished fifth in the 53-kilogram category in Beijing, and was the sixth athlete from the Beijing Olympics to test positive for CERA, a derivative of EPO.

UCI Expects More Doping Cases

The International Cycling Union (UCI) called for disciplinary action against five riders whose biological passports indicated abnormal fluctuations and said, more doping cases are likely to follow.

Anne Gripper UCI’s anti-doping manager said on Wednesday "we expect new proceedings to be open. This is happening in real time."

She added "we are confident that the system we use at the moment is working. Each week, our experts are looking into some profiles. It will be as the time is right and we will be announcing any other riders whose profiles are showing abnormalities.

The riders with abnormal samples are Spaniards Igor Astarloa, Ruben Lobato Elvira and Ricardo Serrano Gonzalez and Italians Francesco De Bonis and Pietro Caucchioli.

Boonen Banned from Tour

Belgian cyclist Tom Boonen was banned from the Tour de France after testing positive for cocaine for the second time, earlier this year.

"Following Tom Boonen's recent test, after a first test in 2008, the Tour de France, after meeting Quick Step team representatives, can only state that the image and behavior of Tom Boonen do not match the Tour de France's image or the one that should be promoted by such an exceptional champion," Tour organizers said in a statement.

This is the second year in a row Boonen, the former world champion in men’s road racing, will miss the Tour. He was banned from last year’s Tour for his first positive test for cocaine.

He won the sprint title at the 2005 Tour.

The UCI said it will not pursue disciplinary action against him.

Written by Ed Hula III.