The American Olympic Dressage Team has lost its fourth place Olympic standing over a positive drug test. One of the American riders Courtney King and her mount Mythilus have been stripped of their win. This happened after Mythilus tested positive for a banned drug – Felbinac. Felbinac is commonly used as a pain reliever and anti-inflammatory drug among horses.

The International Equestrian Federation has said that the disqualification was automatic. King’s teammates have pleaded her case, but the verdict remains the same. King has also lost her personal 13th place win due to the positive drug result.

The International Equestrian Federation has released a statement saying, “The behavior of anyone at the top of the sport and particularly at the Olympic Games must be faultless since the eyes of the world focus on performances at such events,”

It should be noted that Felbinac is a veterinary medication and not a doping drug. It has been banned because the International Equestrian Federation has maintained that horses should only compete when in good health. King nor her teammates and managers have yet to explain how the drug got into her horse’s system.

The Federation has also stated that they believe that King “nor anyone on her behalf or related to the USEF had knowingly administered the medication to the horse.”