Olympics-French dressage rider Barbancon Mestre to miss Paris Games

FILE PHOTO: Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Equestrian - Dressage - Individual - Grand Prix - Day 2 - Groups D/E/F - Equestrian Park - Tokyo, Japan - July 25, 2021. Morgan Barbançon Mestre of France on her horse Sir Donnerhall II Old competes. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis

PARIS (Reuters) - French dressage rider Morgan Barbancon Mestre will miss the Paris 2024 Olympics after her three-month suspension over an anti-doping rules violation was extended to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the French equestrian federation (FFE) said on Thursday.

FFE said in a statement the 18-month suspension was from April 10, 2024, to Oct. 10, 2025, adding: "As a result, the rider is no longer eligible for team selection, nor for any participation in national or international competitions."

Barbancon Mestre was on a five-rider shortlist for the Olympics.

(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Miral Fahmy)