The British Olympic Association is pleased to confirm that the rider, Tim Stockdale, has successfully appealed against a BOA bye-law which states that any person found guilty of a doping offence is ineligible for consideration as a future member of the Great Britain Olympic Team.

Tim Stockdale was found on 30 July 2002 by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) to have committed a doping offence. The prohibited substance hydroxyethylpromazine, metabolites of acepromazine (a sedative), was found in the urine of his horse, Traxdata Wiston Bridget at an international competition under FEI rules. The FEI ordered that the horse and Mr Stockdale be disqualified from the event and Mr Stockdale was fined CHF 1,500 and ordered to pay costs of 1,750.

The BOA Appeals Panel considered the appeal and found that Mr Stockdale’s appeal should be allowed on the basis that the offence was minor.

The Panel decided Mr Stockdale’s lifetime Olympic ban should be commuted and that Mr Stockdale’s eligibility for consideration as a member of the Great Britain Olympic Team should be restored with immediate effect.

The BOA strongly opposes all uses by sports people of illegal drugs and continues to find the use of any banned substance taken to enhance performance as totally unacceptable.

Commenting on the decision, the BOA’s Chief Executive Simon Clegg said: ‘The British Olympic Association’s life time ban for any athlete found guilty of any doping offence exists to deter athletes from taking drugs of any type and primarily those of a performance enhancing nature. The appeals procedure is constituted to consider those cases, which are of a minor nature or where there are significant mitigating circumstances. I am pleased that Tim Stockdale’s appeal in respect of the offence being minor has been upheld and offer him our best wishes in his quest for selection for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.’

For more information contact Philip Pope (ext. 233) or Becki Middleton (ext. 215) in the BOA Media Office on 0208 871 2677.