Germany's show jumpers are to be stripped of their Athens Olympic team gold medal. Grania Willis, Equestrian Correspondent, reports.
The development comes as a result of a formal decision taken by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) to disqualify Ludger Beerbaum following a positive dope test on his horse, Goldfever.
Beerbaum, who won individual gold at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 and team gold in Seoul, Atlanta and Sydney, came before the FEI's judicial committee in Zurich on Wednesday.
Although the committee accepted that the prohibited substance Betamethasone had been administered in a skin ointment and was therefore "legitimate treatment", it felt there was no option but to disqualify Beerbaum from all classes at the Athens Games.
Beerbaum was fined 1,500 Swiss francs for failing to report treatment of the horse to a member of the Olympic veterinary commission and a further 750 Swiss francs for confirmatory analysis of the horse's B sample, which was carried out in Hong Kong last month.
The judicial committee found no evidence that Beerbaum had either risked his horse's welfare or gained any advantage from the treatment.
Team gold will now go to the Americans, with the Swedes moving up to silver and the Germans dropping to bronze.
Beerbaum stated before this week's hearing that he would accept the decision of the judicial committee and would not appeal the result.
Fellow German Bettina Hoy, whose double crossing of the startline in the show jumping resulted in the loss of her individual eventing gold and the team gold, also came before the judicial committee this week.
Her horse, Ringwood Cockatoo, had tested positive for hydroxy diphenhydramine.
However, the judicial committee accepted the explanation that the German team vet had been given verbal approval by a vet from the Olympic veterinary clinic for the use of a cream containing the prohibited substance.
As a result no sanctions were taken against the rider.
The case of Ireland's gold, Cian O'Connor, is expected to come before the judicial committee before Christmas, but he has already been granted an extension until December 13th to prepare his defence
Meanwhile, the composition of the task force set up by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) to review policies on drug abuse and medication control of horses has been confirmed.
Sweden's Sven Homberg, a senior judge at the Athens Olympics, has been brought in as chairman.