GERMANY is set to lose the team silver medal won at the European eventing championships at Strzegom in August as Julia Krajewski’s mount, Samourai du Thot, has tested positive for the controlled medication firocoxib.

News broke earlier this week that the 11-year-old gelding’s A test had tested positive for the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication and the German Equestrian Federation confirmed on Thursday that the bay’s B sample had also proven positive.

A translation of the statement on the Federation’s website reads: “Now it is sad certainty: The World Equestrian Federation (FEI) has informed the Deutscher Reiterliche Vereinigung (FN) today about the positive B-sample of a medication control, which was carried out during the European Championship of the eventing riders in Strzegom (POL).

“The probe is by Julia Krajewski’s horse Samourai du Thot. The substance found is firocoxib, which has an anti-inflammatory effect and, according to FEI, is a Controlled Medication Substance, but no doping. This means that the substance is allowed for therapeutic purposes in training, but not in competition.

“Krajewski is subsequently disqualified, so the German team falls in the classification and loses her silver medal. Krajewski has now formally 21 days to decide whether she accepts an administrative punishment or goes to FEI tribunal.”

In a lengthy statement on her Facebook page, the rider, who won her first four-star competition on Samourai du Thot at Luhmühlen, says that she and her team have no idea how firocoxib came to be present in her horse.

“What I could find out so far, is that the substance Firocoxib (which has an analgesic and inflammatory effect) is present solely in two pharmaceuticals – Equioxx for horses and Previcox for dogs. Equioxx has never been used in my stables, neither for my own nor for other horses. My attending veterinarian at home does not use it for my horses.

“Also our team veterinarian, Carsten Rohde, has confirmed that he does not use the medicament for squad horses, and did not take any of it to the training camp or the Championships in Poland. Furthermore, at no time during the training camp or the Championships, any reason occurred to treat Samurai du Thot with a pain-reliever.”

Krajewski’s teammates at Strzegom, where Britain won gold, were Ingrid Klimke (Horseware Hale Bob), Michael Jung (fishcerRocana) and Bettina Hoy (Seigneur Medicott). With Germany disqualified, Sweden will take silver while Italy, who finished a place ahead of Ireland, moves into the bronze medal position.