Published: August 17, 2009 9:36 am ET

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Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum, the crown prince of Dubai, has been slapped with a 10-month ban from riding in endurance races after one of his horses tested positive for steroids.

This past January, the son of Sheikh Mohammed rode the horse Eo Fawati in a 74 and a half-mile endurance race at Bahrain. The horse tested positive for metabolites of stanozolol, an anabolic steroid.

Sheik Hamdan has stated via written statement that an investigation by his family's stable could not determine how the drug entered the horse's system. Within the statement, the Sheik alludes that the situation could stem from the actions of grooms.

"It is likely that there is intense competition among grooms, and this might lead to errors of judgment by them," he stated.

Click here to read an article by guardian.co.uk about the situation.

(With files from guardian.co.uk)