Update on the Medication Control Programme with figures for 2007The cohesion of the FEI, with eight different disciplines whose outlooks and needs can be very diverse, is largely maintained by one fundamental principle – the welfare of the horse. It is a very broad term that is echoed at all levels of the administration of the sport – whether it be in terms of rules, research, or development, to name but a few. One of the key providers of this cohesion is the FEI Veterinary Department, which, through the FEI Veterinary Committee and its various sub groups is able to provide the necessary framework to ensure that in terms of health, ethics and fair play, the welfare of the horse remains paramount. As stated in the Code of Conduct “At all stages during the preparation and training of competition horses, welfare must take precedence over all other demands”.One of the key efforts of the Veterinary Department has been in the field of medication control and anti-doping, with a variety of programmes and initiatives aiming to clarify the rules at play, provide meaningful research data, identify substances and detection times, educate the athletes; and in order to ensure that all those efforts are bearing fruits - test horses competing at FEI events.  In this regard, there has been a substantial increase in the number of horses tested on a yearly basis with the Medication Control Programme active within Groups I and II as well as worldwide testing. In 2007, a total of 3,270 horses were tested in FEI events as opposed to 1,646 in 1996 (see figures below for the complete breakdown) – although, it should be noted that the rate of increase was particularly steep in the earlier years, with only a slight increase over the past two. Interestingly, the rate of positive test results in relation to the number of horses tested has shown a noteworthy decrease over the past two to three years, now sitting a little over 1% as opposed to just under 5% in 2004 (for a full breakdown please see figures below). This leads to the conclusion that all the initiatives put in place coupled with increased testing have led to a decrease in anti-doping and medication violations.  However, this is not and should not be considered as a finite success in itself, but rather a path to be pursued so that the rules and regulations in place to protect the welfare of the horse and competition integrity are respected and enforced. Particularly in view of the increasing number of international events held annually (2153 in 2007 as opposed to 542 in 1997!) and the greater demands made upon horses in response to the busy calendar year - there can be an increased pressure to use medication. The FEI has always advocated that instead of accelerating the horse’s recovery by medication with the next event in mind, a rest period should be provided (perhaps also accompanied by veterinary treatment), allowing for mental and physical improvement away from the competition site. Pursuing these objectives is the common thread which ties all the FEI disciplines together - a common language to ensure that the intrinsically valuable spirit of sport is not only upheld but celebrated.    Figures FEI Number of Horses Tested 2007 – 3,270 (2,136 MCP + 1,134 non MCP) 2006 – 3,171 (2,097 MCP + 1,074 non MCP) 2005 – 2,563 (1,494 MCP + 1,069 non MCP) 2004 – 2,237 (1,487 MCP + 750 non MCP) 2003 – 2,162 (1,332 MCP + 830 non MCP) 2002 – 1,949 (1,308 MCP + 641 non MCP) 2001 – 1,896 (1,115 MCP + 781 non MCP) 2000 – 1,500 (1,013 MCP + 487 non MCP) 1999 – 1,505 (920 MCP + 585 non MCP) 1998 – 1,711 (1,139 MCP + 572 non MCP) 1997 – 1,739 (1,192 MCP + 547 non MCP) 1996 – 1,646 (1,062 MCP + 584 non MCP)   MCP Number of Events Tested (Groups I and II) 2007 – 271 2006 – 280 2005 – 222 2004 – 218 2003 – 205 2002 – 210 2001 – 174 2000 – 168 1999 – 144 1998 – 159 1997 – 176 1996 – 165   Rate of Positive Results Related to Number of Horses Tested 2007 ~ 1.1 % 2006 ~ 2.6 % 2005 ~ 2.3 % 2004 ~ 4.6 % 2003 ~ 3.2 % 2002 ~ 3.3 % 2001 ~ 3.6 % 2000 ~ 2.8 %