French eventer handed six-month ban by International Equestrian Federation

French eventer Maxime Livio has been handed a six-month ban by the FEI ©Normandie 2014

French eventer Maxime Livio has been handed a six-month suspension after horse Qalao des Mers tested positive for a controlled medication substance at last year’s World Equestrian Games in Normandy, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) have announced.

Livio’s ban is effective from yesterday (May 7) and he has been fined CHF2,500 (£1,750/$2,700/€2,400).

He was also ordered to pay the costs of the B-sample analysis as well as the judicial procedure as a whole.

The decision seemingly marks an end to the ongoing case which has already seen France stripped of their Rio 2016 Olympic Games qualification slot.

The French quartet of Jean Teulere, Cédric Lyard and Pascal Leroy and Livio were disqualified from the World Equestrian Games, where they had finished fourth by the FEI last month following Qalao des Mers' positive test for Hydroxyethylpromazine sulfoxide, a metabolite of the sedative Acepromazine, a substance used regularly to treat horses but is on the prohibited controlled medication list.

The sample in question was taken during the dressage day of the World Equestrian Games, on August 29, and it was revealed in September that the horse had tested positive.

Livio's horse Qalao des Mers tested positive for a controlled medical substance after last year's World Equestrian Games ©Getty Images

France’s fourth-placed finish had secured them a place at Rio 2016 before the FEI Tribunal stripped them of the spot as if riders or horses test positive, the whole team, as well as the individual, are liable for punishment.

They could however still participate at the Olympic Games if they qualify through the 2015 European Eventing Championships, due to be staged at Blair Castle in Scotland from September 10 to 13, or through the FEI individual rankings system.

The qualification berth they earned was given to the Canadian team who finished seventh in Normandy, while Australia, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland and the Netherlands and hosts Brazil have already secured their spot at next year’s Games.

Livio was found guilty by the FEI Tribunal under Article 169 of the FEI’s General Regulations and Article 10.2 of the Equine Controlled Medication Rules.

The announcement follows a turbulent few months for the rider after a separate case against him, concerning the B-sample on Bingo S, a borrowed horse ridden by Livio at an event in Thailand last November.

However the sample failed to back up the initial positive result and the case was subsequently dismissed in March.