Swiss Supreme Court rejects Norwegian Olympic appeal

The Swiss Supreme Court has rejected the appeal filed by Tony Andre Hansen (NOR) against his disqualification from the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

The Supreme Court has ordered Mr Hansen to pay costs of CHF 5,000 and legal fees to the FEI of CHF 6,000.

Mr Hansen’s horse Camiro tested positive for the prohibited substance Capsaicin during the 2008 Olympic equestrian events in Hong Kong and the rider was provisionally suspended on 21 August 2008. The case was heard by a three-member panel of the FEI Tribunal, which issued its final decision on 22 December 2008. Mr Hansen was suspended for four and a half months (135 days), from 21 August 2008 to 2 January 2009 and was also disqualified from all placings with Camiro at the 2008 Olympic Games.

Mr Hansen appealed the FEI Tribunal decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), based in Lausanne, Switzerland. On 4 December 2009, CAS dismissed the appeal and upheld the final decision of the FEI Tribunal.

Mr Hansen subsequently appealed the CAS decision to the Swiss Supreme Court, but that appeal was rejected in the Court’s decision of 30 July 2010. The FEI was notified of the decision today. There is no appeal against a decision of the Supreme Court.

As a result of the legal procedure, the Norwegians are stripped of the Jumping team bronze medal, which will be awarded to the Swiss team that originally finished in fourth place at the 2008 Olympic Games.