Guangzhou: Indian fury at China's refusal to clear their horses for competition threatened to sour the hosts' celebrations as they hoarded 19 out of 28 golds on day one of competition at the Guangzhou Asian Games on Saturday.
The Indian equestrian federation had planned to bring eight horses to the events starting in the southern Chinese city on Sunday but accused China's quarantine authority of discrimination and personal agendas after the horses were rejected for failing a veterinary test.
"Indian horses are fit and healthy for participation at 16th Asian Games," India's equestrian federation said in a statement.
"It is because of reasons other than the veterinary... deliberate misinterpretation of lab reports, biased and malicious approach on part of (quarantine authority) AQSIQ China that all of the eight horses have not been given permits for entry in Guangzhou."
Guangzhou's quarantine authority was unavailable for comment, while two organising officials for the equestrian tournament said they were unaware of the decision.
The sport's world governing body, the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), said it had urged the Chinese authorities to clear the horses but said the issue was now a "government to government" matter.
"We regret that any country would not be able to compete in an international equestrian event ... It's absolutely not ideal that it has come at the eleventh hour," Graeme Cooke, the director of the FEI's veterinary department, told Reuters.
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