World Horse Welfare welcomes FEI decision on NSAIDs

World Horse Welfare has welcomed a decision by the FEI General Assembly to maintain the ban on the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in competition.

The charity says it is pleased that the Assembly, currently being held in Taipei, has unanimously accepted the recommendations of the FEI List Group and approved the updated Equine Prohibited Substances List for the 2011 season.

The List was put forward by the Group following a year of consultation with National Federations and experts, and after a Congress, in which World Horse Welfare participated, on the use of NSAIDs in the equine athlete. This was hosted by the FEI in Lausanne, Switzerland in August.

The List does not allow the use of NSAIDs in competition. However it was agreed that the FEI should provide a greater level of guidance regarding the detection times for the post-event usage of certain NSAIDs, specifically Phenylbutazone and Flunixin, in commonly used low dosages.

The 2011 list will come into effect on April 4 2011.