Sheik Mohammed in Hot Water

SHEIK MOHAMMED is under investigation following the positive swabs returned
by one of his endurance horses after races in Dubai and Bahrain. Of course,
Sheikh Mohammed is the head honcho of both Godolphin and Darley racing and
breeding juggernauts and ironically his wife, Princess Haya al-bint is the
president of the International Equestrian Federation, who will hear charges
against Sheikh Mohammed.

Princess Haya has long campaigned for a drug-free sport and has informed the
seven person committee that she will stand down from her position and take
no part in the hearing and adjudication on the charges against her husband.

His horse horse Tahhan - tested positive for Guanabenz - used to treat
hypertension.

The horse also tested positive after a Bahrain race to 16b-Hydroxy
Stanozolol and anabolic steroid used to build muscle and build oxygen
carrying red blood cells. The drug is a metabolite of Stanozolol which was
used legally on Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown but was also the drug
responsible for seeing Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson disqualified from the
Seoul Olympics.

Sheikh Mohammed's staff issued a statement saying that he strongly condemned
the use of the drugs and was totally unaware of their use on his horse.

The statement did however add that "His Highness has volunteered his
acceptance that he is "the person legally responsible."