 Stockdale was banned from Olympic competition in July 2002 when his horse's urine tested positive for a prohibited sedative.However, he was reinstated in 2004 when the British Olympic Association deemed his offence minor, also taking into account that it did not meet the chief intent of the lifetime ban to cover offences involving drugs "of a performance enhancing nature".This made him eligible to compete at the 2004 Athens Olympics, although he did not make the team.