LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Equestrian athlete Eric Lamaze, who clinched Olympic gold in 2008, has received a lengthy suspension from equestrian sports, set to last until 2031. This ruling comes from the Court of Arbitration for Sport following a second doping-related infraction.
The court’s decision mandated that the Canadian rider serve the new ban due to his failure to submit to a doping control in the Netherlands back in 2021. According to a statement released by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), this latest suspension will not commence until the current four-year ban, stemming from a prior incident, concludes in September 2027.
The FEI elaborated on the case, indicating that during the ongoing legal proceedings, Lamaze submitted fraudulent medical documentation, which subsequently resulted in the four-year suspension. This revelation highlights the ongoing struggles Lamaze has faced regarding compliance with doping regulations.
Throughout his career, Lamaze has achieved significant milestones; he secured the individual gold and team silver medals in jumping at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and earned an individual bronze at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. Over his three Olympic appearances, he notably missed participating in both the 1996 Atlanta Games and the 2000 Sydney Games due to controversies surrounding positive tests for cocaine.
In 2022, Lamaze was appointed as the technical adviser and leader of the national jumping teams by Equestrian Canada, signaling a trusted role within the organization despite his recent setbacks.
Now at the age of 56, Lamaze will reach 63 by the time his current suspensions conclude. In addition to the bans, the FEI has imposed a financial penalty on him, demanding 15,000 Swiss francs (approximately $16,500) and an additional contribution of 12,000 Swiss francs (around $13,000) to cover the FEI’s legal expenses, including those incurred during the arbitration process.
Overall, Lamaze’s situation reflects the stringent measures being enforced within the discipline to maintain integrity and fairness in equestrian sports.
