The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has issued its decision in the human anti-doping case concerning Canadian show jumper Eric Lamaze, imposing a suspension which will begin after his current period of ineligibility lifts on Sept. 11, 2027 and be in effect until Sept. 11, 2031. Lamaze continues to be ineligible to ride, train riders, or hold a position such as technical advisor or chef d’equipe for a national federation at FEI-sanctioned events.
This chain of disciplinary woes began in March 8, 2022, when Lamaze was charged by the FEI for committing of an anti-doping rule violation (Evading, Refusing or Failing to Submit to Sample Collection by an Athlete) for evading a doping control at CSI5* Valkenswaard in the Netherlands, June 4-6, 2021. While CAS proceedings were ongoing, Lamaze submitted forged medical documents, which led to a four-year ineligibility period imposed by the FEI starting on September 12, 2023.
In its recent decision, the CAS Panel found Lamaze guilty of the anti-doping rule violation and imposed an additional ineligibility period of four years, starting once the ineligibility period already imposed by the FEI has ended. Lamaze was also fined CHF 15,000, was ordered to pay the costs of the arbitration proceedings, as well as CHF 12,000 to the FEI towards their legal fees. All results obtained by Lamaze at the Valkenswaard event, along with any others obtained by him at FEI events from June 5, 2021 to March 30, 2022, are disqualified.