The revised draft of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Protocol, which was developed in partnership with the newly established Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (“HIWU”), was released on HISA's website this week.
HISA had previously released a set of protocols predicated upon an agreement with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, but these new protocols follow the May 3 announcement of HISA's partnership with Drug Free Sport International for its medication and drug-testing program.
The revised regulations are open for public comment and have yet to be promulgated to the Federal Trade Commission. The targeted enforcement date for the ADMC rules is Jan. 1, 2023, separate from HISA's implementation of racetrack safety rules on July 1, 2022.
According to Adolpho Birch, chair of the Anti-Doping and Medication Control program, the revised regulations “maintain the same general approach utilized in the prior version, except for the following material changes:
“1. Terminology: The revised protocol has adopted “Prohibited Substances” as the umbrella term to mean any substance that is prohibited while racing. Within that definition, the Equine AntiDoping Rules differentiate between “Banned Substances,” which are considered doping because they should never be administered to a horse, and “Controlled Medications,” which are therapeutic medications appropriate between races but which must not be in a horse's system on race day or used during the race period (typically 48 hours pre-race). Banned Substances and Controlled Medications are addressed in separate chapters within the Protocol based on the different philosophical and sanctioning approaches.
“2. B Sample Laboratory Testing: The Protocol has been revised to provide that the B Sample may, at the election of the Agency or charged person, be analyzed at a different Laboratory from the one that analyzed the A Sample. If B Sample testing is conducted, the laboratory performing the B analysis will be selected by the Agency.
“3. Sanctions: Sanctions for violations of the Protocol also have been recalibrated to reflect the distinction between Banned Substances and Controlled Medications. In particular, sanctions for Controlled Medication rule violations (absent aggravating factors or repeat offenses) remain
substantial but have been reduced relative to those involving Banned Substances.
“4. Federal Trade Commission: The revised Protocol contains language affirming its approval by the FTC. While that approval has yet to be granted, we expect to have received it on or before the date of publication.”
Find the full set of regulations on HISA's website here.
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