US showjumper Andrew Kocher has been banned for 10 years by the International Equestrian Federation for using electric spurs on horses, with the US federation "unequivocally" supporting the punishment.
The FEI had opened an investigation of Kocher last June after an allegation that he had used spurs that delivered an electric shock was reported to the independent Equestrian Community Integrity Unit . "It was alleged that Mr Kocher had used electric spurs on a number of FEI registered and national horses in international and national events, and during training," the international federation said in a statement.His term of suspension is therefore deemed to have started on October 28, 2020 and will run through October 27, 2030.
Kocher was also disqualified from eight events between June 2018 and November 2019, fined $10,903 and ordered to pay costs of $8.177 .The US Jumping athlete has also been disqualified from eight events in 2018 and 2019 for using electric spurs on his horses.