Former government veterinary inspector John Hughes ‘warned off’ for five years

The issue of doping and anabolic steroids within Irish racing has resulted in another disqualification with the former Department of Agriculture veterinary inspector John Hughes 'warned off' for five years and penalised €4,500 by the Turf Club.

Hughes pleaded guilty to five counts of possessing banned animal substances, including the anabolic steroid, Nitrotain, at Carlow District Court over a year ago after customs officials intercepted two parcels posted to Hughes from Australia in February of 2012. Hughes’s home was subsequently raided by Garda, customs, and Department of Agriculture officials.

Hughes's brother, the trainer Pat Hughes, was convicted of possession of an anabolic steroid last month and is appealing that decision through the courts.

Another trainer, Philip Fenton, was disqualified for three years by the Turf Club on Saturday and racing's regulatory body has imposed an even more severe penalty on John Hughes, who has been accredited with them as a racing establishment employee card holder.

The Turf Club’s Referrals Committee found it had been clearly established that Hughes was in possession of unlawful material, including 6kgs of Nitrotain, and concluded there was no possible legitimate reason of possession. They decided Hughes breached Rule 272 by undermining the integrity and reputation of the sport and disqualified him for five years.

The possession of such substances they decided was aggravated by the significant “commercial” quantity of the anabolic steroid and how Hughes was a highly qualified and experienced vet which left no room for doubt about his knowledge of the nature and effects of the substance or the legality of the situation.

The committee considered disqualification the only appropriate penalty and imposed a five year disqualification, starting immediately, by referencing aggravating and mitigating factors, including his “entirely unsatisfactory” attitude to the Turf Club investigation, and how Hughes would not be impacted by the loss of any business due to being licensed by the Turf Club.

They also imposed a €2,000 fine and ordered Hughes pay €2,500 towards Turf Club costs.