THE World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was brought into operation in 1999 to develop, to harmonise and to coordinate anti-doping rules and policies across all sports and countries. A conceptual approach to gender equality within the World Anti-Doping Code states that all athletes, irrespective of their gender, are subject to the same rules and implementations. However, there is undoubtedly a case to be made for gender discrimination when it comes to the WADA ruling around supplementation of testosterone for elite athletes.

Equestrian sport is unique for many reasons. Prior to the addition of surfing at the Tokyo Olympic Games, equestrianism was the only discipline in which men and women competed against one another. Equestrianism also lends itself to longevity of career. Riders at elite level can continue to improve and to medal well into their forties, fifties and beyond. Whilst this is undoubtedly a huge positive, for female riders it does eventually bring into focus the inevitable consequences of reaching a certain stage of life.