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Doping: Leading German showjumper banned

  • Story Highlights
  • Germany's Christian Ahlmann is disqualified from the Beijing Olympics
  • Showjumper Ahlmann's horse tested positive for banned medication
  • Former Olympic champion Rodrigo Pessoa also fell foul of testers
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(CNN) -- Germany's Christian Ahlmann is the latest leading equestrian rider to be disqualified from the Beijing Olympics for a positive drug test on his horse.

Ahlmann competes on Coster during the showjumping qualification in Hong Kong.

The 33-year-old Ahlmann was also banned from competition for four months by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI).

Earlier this month, former Olympic champion Rodrigo Pessoa received a similar penalty after his fifth-placed finish in the Games in the individual showjumping final.

Pessoa's horse, Rufus, tested positive soon after the competition for Capsaicin, a banned pain-relieving medication.

Ahlmann was prevented from taking part in the final in Hong Kong because of the positive test for the same substance.

The governing body said in a statement on Wednesday that the German's evidence at a hearing indicated "severe negligence" in applying a banned medication to his horse, Coster.

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Germany will be downgraded from a fifth-place finish in the team jumping class after Ahlmann's scores are wiped from the record.

He was also fined 3,500 Swiss francs ($3,000).

The German Olympic committee said it would bill Ahlmann for transport and accommodation costs incurred by him and his horse at Beijing.

Three other other riders, Denis Lynch of Ireland, Brazil's Bernado Alves and Norway's Tony Andre Hansen were also thrown out before the showjumping final after their horses showed traces of Capsaicin.

Copyright 2008 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.

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