May 11, 2009

The FEI has named the four members of its newly formed Ethics Panel to investigate practices among members of the German equestrian team after allegations of horse doping were made.

The panel will be chaired by former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lord Stevens. He will be joined by US Equestrian Federation president and formed Olympic rider David O'Connor; FEI Tribunal chairman Ken Lalo (Israel), and John Roche, FEI Director of Jumping.

"I am privileged to have been asked to chair the FEI Ethics Panel for what is such a sensitive and important matter and to assist the organisation in its efforts to ensure the integrity of sport and horse welfare," said Lord Stevens.

The formation of panel and its remit were announced last week. The formation of the panel is a step in an investigation being conducted, further to information that had recently been made available to the FEI, supplemented with recent media reports including admissions by Marco Kutscher, a German jumping rider, and Bjorn Nolting, the former team veterinarian.