Ricardo Reis Suspended for 18 Months Following Positive Doping Test

Dressage

Portugal

Portuguese Grand Prix rider Ricardo Reis has been suspended for 18 months following a positive doping test of his horse Lord das Faisas.

Nandrolone

The 33-year old Ricardo Vinhas Reis competed Luis Bastos' 10-year old Lusitano Lord das Faisas (by Escorial) at the CDI Esposende in Portugal on 26 - 29 September 2024 where his horse was doping tested.

The horse tested positive for the Banned Substances Nandrolone and Nandrolone laurate.

Nandrolone is an anabolic steroid used to treat catabolic diseases and to enhance muscle development. Nandrolone laurate is a synthetic androgen and nandrolone ester. Both are classified as Banned Substances under the Prohibited List.

Provisional Suspension

The FEI informed the rider of the positive doping test on 3 February 2025 and its decision to provisionally suspend pending the case. His horse was provisionally suspended for two months.

On 20 February 2025, the PR submitted to the Tribunal his request to lift the Provisional Suspension imposed on him, and therefore requested for a Preliminary Hearing to be held. On 10 April 2025 Reis withdrew his request for a Preliminary Hearing.

On 25 April the FEI charged Reis with a violation of Art. 2.1 of the EAD Rules (Presence of Banned Substances and/or its Metabolites or Markers in a Horse’s Sample).

FEI Tribunal

Reis explicitly admitted the EAD Rule Violation and accepted the consequences.

On 10 June 2025 the FEI Tribunal issued a Consent Award in an equine anti-doping case involving Banned Substances.

In its final decision the FEI Tribunal disqualified the athlete and horse combination from the event and imposed an 18-month ineligibility period on the athlete; the provisional suspension he already served shall be credited against the imposed ineligibility period. The athlete was also fined CHF 5,000 and the horse served a two-month suspension.

FEI tribunal decision here.