From Meadowlands Media
Relations:
(With files from the
Schenectady Daily Gazette)
Upstate New York
congressman Paul Tonko plans to introduce a federal bill establishing
uniform drug and medication standards in thoroughbred racing that would be
overseen by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and begin in 2017. This announcement
was made on Friday in Washington, DC.
The racing industry has
been regulated on a state-by-state basis with a patchwork of rules and
penalties, and he said it's time to set a level playing field at racetracks
nationwide. The legislation would allow USADA to create a drug agency
specifically for racing. USADA, an independent agency, is the national
anti-doping organization in the U.S. for the Olympics.
Meadowlands Chairman
Jeff Gural voiced his support for the bill, “I was extremely pleased to read
about Congressman Tonko’s plans to introduce legislation that will lead to much
needed medication reform in horse racing and about the coalition that has been
formed to move that initiative forward. As someone who has gone to great
lengths to get performance-enhancing drugs out of the sport, including the
implementation of “house rules,” I fully support these efforts and I hope the
standardbred industry will follow the Thoroughbred racing initiative.”
This initiative
also has the support of the Water Hay & Oats Alliance (WHOA) .
The complete Daily
Gazette article may be read here.
