1. What types of products are on the Cologne List Horse Sport?

Generally all types of horse feed can be included in the Cologne List Horse Sport, as long as they meet the criteria mentioned below.


2. What requirements must a product fulfill in order to be placed on the Cologne List Horse Sport?

The listed products must be regularly examined (at least annually) for internationally defined typical feed contaminants by the Centre for the Preventive Doping Research at the German Sport University Cologne (ZePräDo). The findings must be negative. At the start no more than 12 months may have passed since the last analysis.

In addition, by answering two standardized questions the manufacturer must verify the safety of the ingredients in terms of doping relevance.


3. Why is there an optional laboratory assessment of the recipe?

Whereas every substance listed on the packaging for products relating to human sports can be found on a doping list even by laypersons, with animal feed this is much more difficult. The ingredients specified may contain naturally occurring, hidden substances with doping relevance (for example: cinchona, willow bark, rice bran oil). The assessment by ZePräDo specialists provides a significantly higher degree of safety for the manufacturer.


4. What are my options to reduce the risk of contamination of a product?
 
1. Answers in the self-disclosure of the manufacturer:
Answering both questions with "yes" provides the highest degree of safety.

2. Product analysis:
The laboratory analysis shows no findings. Additional and regular control analyses without findings increase the safety of the product.


5. Are products on the Cologne List Horse Sport safe?

There will never be a 100 percent level of safety in animal feed. The approach that the Cologne List Horse Sport takes is to offer the highest possible degree of safety. Publication in the Cologne List Horse Sport therefore means that a product's doping risk is minimized.


6. Which type of food should generally be treated with caution?

Feed that does not list any ingredients on the label should generally be treated with caution, as should feed to which therapeutic effects (such as reduction of pain, muscle weakness, tranquilization) are attributed. Feed which is marketed offensively and unprofessionally, e.g. with slogans such as "Doping-free product" or "Ingredients not verifiable during doping tests" should be approached with a certain degree of skepticism.


7. Why is an analysis required to list a product?

An analysis is an independent quality control that increases the safety of a product. The certainty concerning the presence or non-presence of a doping-relevant substance should not just be provided via verbal confirmation by the raw material supplier or self-verification of the manufacturer.


8. How can I obtain information on products that are not listed on the Cologne List Horse Sport?
 
We cannot make any assessments on products that are not on the Cologne List Horse Sport. Information should be obtained directly from the manufacturer, for example by contacting the manufacturer via product or company website.


9. How do positive doping results for feed occur?

When absorbing contaminated feed, the ingredients enter the bloodstream and the kidneys, where it is concentrated, and leaves the body via urine.
Feed contaminants can therefore be found in blood as well as urine.


10. What are typical feed contaminants?

Typical feed contaminants are substances that may be a natural element of a plant used for the production of feed, such as caffeine, theobromine, atropine, hordenine, morphine, menthol, camphor, etc.

An expert panel at the EHSLC is involved in harmonizing and detecting and solving problems in the area of feed analysis. The latest insights pertaining to current contaminant are used directly to develop new analysis methods. This means, the selection of examined substances is dynamic and is continuously adjusted in line with the latest knowledge.


11. Which laboratory analyzes the feed?

Feedstuffs included in the Cologne List Horse Sport are analyzed for internationally defined typical feed contaminants at the Centre for the Preventive Doping Research at the German Sport University Cologne.


12. How can I find my product on the Cologne List Horse Sport?

After clicking the button "Cologne List Horse Sport" and confirming the preliminary information on the use of the Cologne List Horse Sport, the user is taken to the database. There you can either use the search function to search for the desired product or sort the products alphabetically by clicking on the double arrow >>.

Clicking the product takes you to the product entry, which is where you receive detailed information on the manufacturer, product, analysis reports and self-disclosure.


13. Who is behind the Cologne List Horse Sport?

The Cologne List Horse Sport is an initiative of the Olympic Centre Rhineland designed to fulfill their duty of care to top athletes. The Centre for the Preventive Doping Research at the German Sport University Cologne is the scientific partner of the Cologne List Horse Sport. Our partner agency HEIMSPIELE is responsible for the implementation of the Cologne List Horse Sport. 


14. Can a product also by analyzed in another laboratory?

A one-time analysis for internationally defined, typical feed contaminants at the Centre for the Preventive Doping Research at the German Sport University Cologne is a requirement for publication in the Cologne List Horse Sport. This ensures that test results are comparable and are based on one analysis procedure and the quality standards of a single scientific institution.  A company can, however, also have its product analyzed again by another suitable laboratory. Companies may publish analysis reports from other laboratories under the section “Manufacturer’s comments”.