New and enhanced anti-doping regulations took effect in U.S. Thoroughbred horse racing Monday following the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) approval of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program.
For the first time in the sport's history, the vast majority of racetracks that operate Thoroughbred horse races will now adhere to uniform testing and enforcement standards developed to strengthen equine welfare and enhance confidence in the fairness of competition. HISA's ADMC Program, administered by the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU), brings all testing and results management under one national authority, standardizes the categories of substances laboratories test for and institutes clear and consistent penalties for violations.
In its authority as the independent administrator of the ADMC Program, HIWU is introducing to the sport a new paperless sample collection system, strategic out-of-competition testing nationwide and centralized adjudication processes to facilitate swift rulings.
“Having a uniform anti-doping program in place for the first time ever will be a game changer for American horse racing,” said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus. “HISA's ADMC Program is the modern, rigorous yet fair regulatory framework the sport deserves. Its rules, philosophical approach and professional implementation will help ensure the integrity of the competition and demonstrate the seriousness of the industry's commitment to equine welfare.”
HIWU is led by Executive Director Ben Mosier, who has previously overseen anti-doping programs for multiple North American sports leagues and organizations. Among other members of HIWU's leadership team are experts with decades of experience working in anti-doping, including in Thoroughbred racing, as well as in federal law enforcement.
“The HIWU team is proud to partner with HISA in the administration of the ADMC Program, which represents a major advancement in how the sport governs anti-doping enforcement,” said Mosier. “HIWU has been working with state racing commissions and racing participants for months to educate all the sport's stakeholders on the new rules, including through in-person and virtual presentations and the library of resources on our website. I am grateful to all who are working with us, particularly the local sample collection personnel, laboratories and other officials operating under the new uniform procedures now in place.”
The ADMC Program's Prohibited Substances List is divided into two categories: 1) Banned Substances that are never permitted in a horse and 2) Controlled Medications that are permitted outside specified periods. Horses will now be tested for these substances following races as well as outside competition windows through an intelligence-based testing system developed by HIWU. The ADMC Program incorporates internationally recognized standards set by organizations including the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI), World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI).
“Thoroughbred racing is a cherished American institution that for too long has been marred by a small group of bad actors who took advantage of the patchwork of differing state-level anti-doping rules to cheat and evade real consequences,” said Charles Scheeler, Chair, HISA Board of Directors. “Leaders in the sport and horsemen across the country have finally come together to prioritize equine welfare and integrity above all else, and I have no doubt that our sport's future is brighter for it.”
“The ADMC rules are informed by science and were developed by experts with unparalleled expertise in anti-doping and equine welfare,” said Adolpho Birch, HISA ADMC Committee Chair and Tennessee Titans Vice President & Chief Legal Officer. “With collaboration from across the industry, this program will bring racing in line with the level and quality of other North American sports that are able to take advantage of centralized safety and integrity regulations.”
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, passed into federal law by a bipartisan act of Congress, grants HISA jurisdiction over all Thoroughbred horseraces in the U.S. that are the subject of interstate off-track or advance deposit wagers.
The ADMC Program is the second of HISA's two regulatory programs to be implemented. HISA's Racetrack Safety Program, which established uniform operational safety rules and racetrack accreditation standards, took effect upon receiving approval from the FTC on July 1, 2022. Further information about HISA can be found on its website.
About the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority
When the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act was signed into federal law, it charged the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) with drafting and enforcing uniform safety and integrity rules in Thoroughbred racing in the U.S. Overseen by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HISA is implementing, for the first time, a national, uniform set of rules applicable to every Thoroughbred racing participant and racetrack facility. HISA is comprised of two programs: the Racetrack Safety Program, which went into effect on July 1, 2022, and the Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program, which went into effect on March 27, 2023.
The Racetrack Safety Program includes operational safety rules and national racetrack accreditation standards that seek to enhance equine welfare and minimize equine and jockey injury. The Program expands veterinary oversight, imposes surface maintenance and testing requirements, enhances jockey safety, regulates riding crop use and implements voided claim rules, among other important measures.
The ADMC Program includes a centralized testing and results management process and applies uniform penalties for violations efficiently and consistently across the United States. These rules and enforcement mechanisms are administered by an independent agency, the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU), established by Drug Free Sport International (DFS). HIWU oversees testing, educates stakeholders on the Program, accredits laboratories, investigates potential ADMC violations and prosecutes any such violations.
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