Tine Magnus and Dia van het Lichterveld Z. Picture by Tilly Berendt.
A latest FEI Tribunal choice surrounding an equine anti-doping case with Belgian Olympic eventer Tine Magnus and her horse, Dia Van Het Lichterveld Z, resulted within the tracing of the substance in query, trazadone, to the complement Loosen up Professional – International Medics – Equine Care Group. Tine has denied the allegations from the outset and vowed to research the matter alongside her staff. A provisional suspension was issued by the FEI pending a Tribunal consequence, which was made formal in February of 2025.
“The athlete was capable of hint the supply of the Banned Substance within the horse’s system again to the complement RELAX PRO – International Medics – Equine Care Group,” a press release from the FEI launched in February reads. “This discovering was primarily based on an impartial evaluation requested by the athlete from two extremely acknowledged toxicologists. This contamination therefore accounted for the constructive discovering within the horse, and the athlete had clearly established on a stability of possibilities, how the Banned Substance Trazodone entered the horse’s system. Consequently, the FEI and the athlete entered right into a Settlement Settlement.”
The settlement amounted to a complete of 5 months of suspension from the unique date (September 3, 2024), ending on February 3, 2025. Tine was additionally fined CHF 4,000 (roughly $4,412 USD). The Belgian staff, which completed fourth in Paris, in addition to Tine’s particular person inserting, will stay disqualified because of the constructive take a look at.
Within the wake of this choice and subsequent settlement, the producers of Loosen up Professional have launched the next assertion. It’s printed in full under:
It was just lately introduced {that a} batch of Loosen up Professional contaminated with Trazodone led to a constructive doping take a look at for the horse Dia van het Lichterveld Z, ridden by Belgian eventing athlete Tine Magnus in the course of the Olympic Video games in Paris.
We deeply remorse this incident—for Tine Magnus, for all the Belgian eventing staff, and for the equestrian sport as a complete. This isn’t a case of deliberate doping aimed toward enhancing efficiency however slightly an unlucky case of contamination. As quickly as thorough analysis confirmed {that a} batch of Loosen up Professional contained traces of Trazodone, International Medics transparently communicated this goal info on its official web site, pending additional in-depth investigation.
Fast Measures Taken
Though this example is past our management, we take it extraordinarily critically and have taken fast duty by implementing the next measures:
• As a precaution, the affected batches (24D02CA en CA/23J31) have been instantly withdrawn from the market. In the event you, as an finish person, nonetheless have Loosen up Professional in your possession with the talked about batch numbers, please contact International Medics instantly concerning the product return. We emphasize that at no level was there any threat to equine well being, as this was an unintended contamination with an especially low focus and thus a clinically irrelevant dose of Trazodone. We will additionally verify with certainty that every one newly produced merchandise are utterly freed from this contamination.• Our manufacturing is outsourced to the exterior producer UTB, whereas International Medics focuses on product improvement, innovation, and distribution. UTB is a revered Belgian producer of dietary dietary supplements for each human and veterinary use, supplying not solely International Medics but additionally quite a few different equine complement distributors.• International Medics has appointed a authorized professional to conduct an goal and legally sound investigation into the precise origin of the contamination within the particular batch of Loosen up Professional. Present findings point out that the contamination occurred on the manufacturing stage, ensuing from a contaminated magnesium uncooked materials sourced from Spain. This tainted magnesium, utilized by UTB within the manufacturing of Loosen up Professional, contained traces of Trazodone. Investigations are nonetheless ongoing to find out precisely how this occurred.
Dedication to High quality and Security
For practically 30 years, International Medics has been dedicated to offering high-quality dietary supplements to help equine well being, with a worldwide distribution community. All through these three many years, that is the primary time now we have confronted a constructive doping take a look at.
Whereas Tine Magnus is undoubtedly the best sufferer of this example, International Medics has additionally suffered important reputational and enterprise harm. We emphatically state that Trazodone was by no means deliberately added to our merchandise, opposite to some insinuations in equestrian media and on social platforms. This contamination occurred totally outdoors of our management, on the uncooked materials provider stage.
A Broader Concern within the Business
This incident raises an vital query: how can complement distributors and riders defend themselves from unexpected contaminations of this nature? It’s regarding and disappointing that, in such disaster conditions, there’s no more unity and understanding inside the trade to help Tine Magnus and collectively search options for the long run.
We stay absolutely dedicated to transparency, innovation, and the very best requirements of high quality.
Within the meantime, we’re permitting the specialists to finish their investigation, and as soon as the authorized inquiry is concluded, we’ll share the total, goal story.
