Vincenzo Truppa Defends Failure to Perform Anti-Doping Blood Test on Eremo del Castegno
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June 20, 2017
Vincenzo Truppa has defended the decision not to perform an anti-doping blood test of Eremo del Castego ridden by his daughter for Italy at the 2012 Olympic Games during examinations for the sale to a 70-year-old Brazilian rider looking to represent his country in the 2016 Games in his homeland.
A response emailed to dressage-news.com that reported an open letter from the buyer, Dr. Jorge Ferreira da Rocha, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) 5* judge made no reference, however, to the written assurance supplied at the time of the sale at the end of 2015 that the horse that was 15 years old at the time was “never lame.” That assurance was given at the same time Vincenzo Truppa was insisting on not returning substantial funding provided over three years to maintain the Italian-bred gelding as a prospect for the 2016 Olympics because the horses was not fit enough.
The veterinarian Dr. Andrea M. Brignolo signed the letter sent on behalf of Vincenzo Truppa.
The blood sample was sent to the lab “only for general screening and not for anti doping test.”
He said that he “clearly understood that everybody present at the examination agreed that, for a horse attending international competitions in those days and with declared and clinically evident musculoskeletal problems, it was useless to proceed so, considering also my position of treating veterinarian that was well aware of the management of the horse.”
No explicit written or oral request was made to conduct anti-doping tests, he said, and a blood sample taken at the time was not stored for later examination.
