British may be disqualified

Britain's three-day event team could be stripped of their bronze medal from last year's World Equestrian Games and lose their Olympic qualifying slot following the announcement that one of the team horses has tested positive for salicylates, a naturally-occurring substance found in lucerne hay and some feed-stuffs, but which has benefits similar to those found in aspirin.

A urine sample taken from the Irish-bred Coral Cove, who was ridden to individual seventh place in Rome by practising veterinary surgeon Polly Phillipps, was found to contain a higher than permitted level of the substance. The concentration of salicylates in the sample, which was taken on October 4th immediately after the final show jumping phase, is said to be considerably higher than that which would occur through natural ingestion of feed-stuffs.

The case is due to come before the judicial committee of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) on April 29th. The immediate repercussions of disciplinary action would be the loss of the bronze medal and the British team's qualification for next year's Olympic Games in Sydney. But there are other more far-reaching ramifications. Equestrian sport in Britain received £117,000 of lottery funding from the UK Sports Council last year. This year's sum has been increased to £145,000, but that could be jeopardised if the FEI imposes sanctions against those involved in this case.

If the British team are disqualified the Americans would be promoted to the bronze medal position and the Irish, who took the last of the six Olympic slots, would go up to fifth. Italy, who were sixth, would get the last Olympic place.

Polly Phillipps was not available for comment last night. Her husband Vere, a well-known Leicestershire dealer, bought the 11-year-old Ballinvella gelding Coral Cove five years ago.