THE Turf Club intends to begin the search for the industry’s first Anti-Doping and Equine Welfare Officer in the coming weeks.

This was one of the key recommendations put forward by the industry-wide Anti-Doping Task Force in their 16-page report published this week.

The task force was established exactly a year ago following a series of high-profile court cases in 2014 involving two licensed trainers and a retired veterinary surgeon found in possession of anabolic steroids. Though no horses tested positive for steroids in these cases, it exposed a potential major problem for the Irish racing and breeding industry.

Horse Racing Ireland, in conjunction with the Turf Club, established the 16-member task force, chaired by veterinary surgeon and now Senior Steward of the Turf Club, Meta Osborne. The task force included representatives of all sections of the racing and breeding industries, including HRI, the Turf Club, the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners, the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Irish Racehorse Trainers Association, Weatherbys Ireland and Irish sales companies.

The main recommendations include a lifetime ban for any horse who tests positive for anabolic steroids or similar “prohibited at all times” drugs.

Osborne said: “I am delighted that the Anti-Doping Task Force has produced an agreed consensus statement and report which the industry has been able to support and unite behind.

“The key objectives are to eliminate cheating and to ensure that horse welfare is paramount. The announcement of a lifetime ban for any horse found to have been illicitly administered any substance “prohibited at all times” including anabolic steroids is an unequivocal statement that cheats will not be tolerated within Irish racing.

“The Turf Club will continue to work with Horse Racing Ireland in this vital area to ensure that we have the resources and structures in place to maintain the highest levels of integrity in our sport, and thereby to safe-guard the international reputation of the Irish thoroughbred industry.”

Another key aim is to establish a world-class anti-doping laboratory. HRI has approved expenditure of €1.8 million to purchase new laboratory equipment. This equipment will go to the BHP Laboratory in Limerick but it may be decided to establish a new centre elsewhere in the longer term.

Denis Egan, the Turf Club’s chief executive, said: “We are already working on implementing some of the recommendations. The sooner we recruit an Anti-Doping and Equine Welfare Officer the faster we can move on some other areas.”

Neither HRI nor the Turf Club have any jurisdiction over breeders or sales companies. ITBA general manager Shane O’Dwyer said: “We endorse the report and we plan to work on the wording for the foal declaration form in the next few weeks. However, we have been clear at all times that no protocols for the testing of horses on stud farms can be put in place without our input. We want to work with the other stakeholders on this but we also want to fully protect breeders.”

The full report can be read on theirishfield.ie website.

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS

  • A new anti-doping laboratory which meets the best international standards
  • A significant increase in the number of samples collected and tested
  • Establish a dedicated Anti-Doping Unit headed up by an Anti-Doping and Equine Welfare Officer
  • Increased frequency of out of competition testing
  • Develop a standard declaration form for use at foal registration and any time a horse changes ownership stating that the horse has not received anabolic steroids
  • Draw up a protocol with the ITBA on how testing at stud farms would be carried out
  • A lifetime ban for any horse found to have been illicitly administered anabolic steroids or any “substance prohibited at all times”
  • The Turf Club should produce guidelines for new anti-doping rules and run educational programmes for trainers and breeders
  • The Task Force should be reconvened in six months to review progress

    • TASK FORCE MEMBERS

    Meta Osborne (chairperson), Eimear Mulhern (HRI), Brian Kavanagh (HRI), John Weld (AIRO), Dr Brendan Doyle (AIRO), John Power (AIRO), John O’Connor (ITBA), Des Leadon (ITBA), Dr Tom Barragry (Turf Club), Denis Egan (Turf Club), John Oxx (IRTA), Michael Halford (IRTA), Neil Walsh (Tattersalls Ireland), Ronan Griffin (Goffs), Ronan Murphy (Weatherbys Ireland), Jason Morris (HRI).