British Horseracing Authority tightens anti-doping rules

The British Horseracing Authority said yesterday that it has moved to close a loophole in its anti-doping rules which allowed nine Newmarket trainers to escape disciplinary charges earlier this year despite having used the drug Sungate, which contains the banned anabolic steroid stanozolol, on a total of 43 horses.

The BHA carried out a detailed investigation into the use of Sungate in Newmarket stables after the drug was linked to nine positive tests for steroids at Gerard Butler’s yard in February. It concluded that horses at nine other yards had also received the drug, prescribed as a joint treatment by a vet from the town’s leading practice, Rossdales.

In June Butler was charged with a number of offences in relation to the use of Sungate at his stable and the case was heard by the BHA's disciplinary panel earlier this week. In August, however, the BHA announced that no charges would be laid against the remaining nine trainers because none of the horses involved had returned a positive sample.

Charge trainers
The amendment announced yesterday will mean that, from December 1st, the BHA will be able to charge trainers with administering a number of banned substances, including steroids, in the absence of a positive dope test.

“The Sungate investigation highlighted a scenario which was not sufficiently or appropriately protected against by the rules of racing,” Adam Brickell, the BHA’s director of integrity, legal and risk, said yesterday.

“The fact that charges could not be brought against trainers even though there was evidence that prohibited substances had been administered to horses in their care or control clearly needed to be addressed.”

The change to the rules had been expected after the conclusion of Butler’s hearing but the amendment also comes more than two years after the BHA’s disciplinary panel highlighted the potential loophole, following the case in which the former trainer Howard Johnson was banned for four years in August 2011.

"The absence of positive samples was identified by the disciplinary panel during the Howard Johnson case in 2011," Robin Mounsey, the BHA's spokesman, said. "However, the outcome of that inquiry was not affected and Johnson was dealt with under other breaches of the rules."
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