Courtney King-Dye, a member of the U.S. equestrian team's three-member dressage squad that competed at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong, China, rode Mythilus to a 13th place finish individually and helped the U.S. to finish in fourth place overall by placing seventh in the grand prix, the team round of competition. King-Dye was the highest placed U.S. rider in the grand prix. She qualified for the grand prix special and then was one of only 15 riders to qualify for the grand prix freestyle. King-Dye earned an overall score of 70.175%. On September 22, the FEI Tribunal issued a decision that disqualified King-Dye from the Olympic Games and as a result, the U.S. dressage team is also disqualified and loses its fourth-place finish.

On August 19, the final day of competition in Hong Kong, Mythilus tested positive for the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug Felbinac, classified as a Medication A Prohibited Substances under the FEI Equine Prohibited List. A preliminary hearing was held on August 22 in Hong Kong, wherein King-Dye was placed on provisional suspension until the final decision. The case was heard before the FEI Tribunal on September 7 in Lausanne, Switzerland, with King-Dye and her attorney in attendance. The Tribunal's decision was announced on September 22, 2008.

King-Dye responded to the FEI Tribunal decision, saying, "Although I was very aware that the Zero Tolerance Rule would make it nearly impossible for the FEI to clear my name from this illegal medications use charge, I was still somehow extremely disappointed when I received their ruling this morning. In the FEI press release, the Tribunal clearly acknowledges my innocence and lack of negligence in their ruling. But the fact is that they have to punish me according to the FEI rulebook because I cannot prove where the drug came from. I can't prove it because I don't know."

In the FEI press release issued on September 22 announcing the decision, the FEI Tribunal stated: "...the Tribunal found the evidence of the PR [Person Responsible-Courtney King-Dye] and the U.S. dressage team Vet to be credible and believed that neither the PR nor anyone on her behalf or related to the USEF had knowingly administered the medication to the horse. The Tribunal further accepted the PR's and USEF's arguments that they have done almost everything in their power to ensure that no rule violation shall occur."

At the hearing at FEI headquarters in Lausanne two weeks ago, King-Dye presented testimony and legal arguments on her behalf. King-Dye noted that Mythilus was treated at the clinic in Hong Kong Jockey Club prior to the start of competition nine times for heart fibulation, a disorder in which the rhythm of the heart is disrupted, but Felbinac was not part of the treatment. King-Dye could only speculate as to how the drug entered her mount's system. King-Dye further cited the Equine Anti-Doping and Medication Control Rules, which contain an exception to a medication rule violation in case of an environmental contamination. She presented the argument that the exception should apply because Felbinac did not appear on the Equine Prohibited List as a threshold substance and no specific criteria was established for it on that list. King-Dye also pointed out that she had gained no competitive edge, and because of the nature of Felbinac and the minimal concentration detected, there were no findings that Mythilus underwent any maltreatment.

"I cannot place blame or resentment anywhere," King-Dye said. "My vet, my groom, my Federation and team, and I did everything right, carefully and according to the rules. The FEI and the Tribunal handled the hearing professionally, proficiently, and well. I feel everyone involved did their best to follow the rules and to do the right thing in accordance with their jobs, and I am grateful that the Tribunal clearly acknowledges my innocence. They are bound by the wording of a