(Reuters) – Canada’s show-jumping team were disqualified from the Tokyo Olympic Games on Tuesday after the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected an appeal of a doping violation.
Canada had looked to have earned a spot in this year’s COVID-19 delayed Olympics after placing fourth in the equestrian event at the 2019 Lima Pan Am Games.
The team, however, were later disqualified after Nicole Walker’s in-competition test was found to contain the banned substance benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine.
Walker, daughter of Belinda Stronach, president and chairman of The Stronach Group, said she had inadvertently consumed the banned substance drinking coca tea, a popular Peruvian drink.
However, the Lausanne-based CAS ruled against Walker and Equestrian Canada after a hearing held by video on Dec. 21 and Dec. 23.
Walker was also stripped of her fourth place finish in the individual jumping competition.
Equestrian Canada did not immediately respond when asked to comment.
As result of Canada’s disqualification, Argentina move up from fifth to fourth, claiming the final Olympic berth from the team competition.
Canada will now be able to send only one jumping athlete to Tokyo to compete in the individual event.
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto and Frank Pingue; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
