Cloned horses allowed to go to Olympics

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LAUSANNE, Switzerland, July 12 (UPI) -- The governing body of international equestrian events located in Lausanne, Switzerland, says it has lifted its ban on cloned horses from competing in events.

The Federation Equestre Internationale announced in June it will allow cloned horses to participate in international competitions, including the Olympics, and said it could not find any advantages of a cloned horse over a naturally bred horse, ABC News reported.

"We came to the conclusion that there were so many variables there were no unfair advantages that were contrary to the spirit of the sport," the federation's veterinary director Dr. Graeme Cooke said.

Cooke said the familiarity with the science of cloning has increased since the time of the ban and the federation now knows the cloned horses are only 98 percent copies of original horses.

No cloned horses are currently old enough to compete in international competitions. Horses must be 9 years old to qualify for the Olympics.