Andrew Kocher on electric spurs: "It was a clicker system, not electric spurs".

Recently the arguments that Kocher unsuccessfully tried to use to counter his recent ten-year suspension by the FEI were revealed. In April the FEI had already published an 'operative decision' finding Kocher guilty of horse abuse, breach of the FEI code of conduct, match-fixing and improper conduct. He was also fined and suspended but no details of the case have been given so far. 

Kocher maintained throughout the trial that he did not possess or use any electrical traces. He said the device in his hand was used for clicker training, what looked like an electrical wire running down his sleeve was, according to him, a cord to which he attached his clicker so that it would not fall. He could not produce any witnesses or physical evidence to support his claims. None of the five witnesses who testified against him at the trial said they had ever seen him with a clicker nor had they heard him talk about this training method. They did all say they saw him at various times with a box-wire contraption used to electrify his tracks. 

Kocher added that if he had used such a device; it is not logical that none of the FEI officials had noticed it before during any of the 1200 FEI competitions in which he had participated. Of more than 1,000 photos submitted, the FEI examined 83. On 73 of them a trigger was identified as well as a cable running along Kocher's arm. 

The Tribunal also viewed several videos including one showing the electrical device being used. A video was also viewed showing a pair of old boots that allegedly belonged to Kocher. They showed small holes visible on the inside through which the cables would run. The location of the holes corresponded to where the tracks should be placed," the tribunal said.

Kocher has until July 1 to appeal the decision.