Lexington, KY
- The Model Rules Committee of the ARCI has moved closer to a revision of
the Model Rules to facilitate an expansion of out-of-competition testing by
forming a subgroup of regulators involving several industry organizations to
address what have been identified as deficiencies in a proposal submitted by
the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium that had widespread at their last
meeting.
The New York Gaming
Commission representative on the committee identified a provision that some
regulators said would create a “safe harbor” for blood dopers by limiting the
hours out-of-competition samples could be taken.
Model Rules Chairman
Larry Eliason indicated that the proposal “was not yet ready for prime time”
while appointing a committee of regulators chaired by New York Gaming
Commission Associate Counsel Rick Goodell to perfect language that could be
adopted.
The group was instructed
to involve Dr. Dionne Benson of the RMTC, Dr. Jeff Blea of the AAEP, Dr. Clara
Fenger of the NAARV, Dave Basler of the National HBPA and others as deemed
appropriate.
RCI President Ed
Martin indicated that there was universal support for expanded out of
competition testing but no proposals have been made as to how this would be
paid for. He indicated that the ARCI Town Hall/Focus Group project is
testing concepts that might be used to fund such an effort.
It was also noted
that the existing Model Rule dealing with Out-of-Competition Testing is far
reaching and applies to any horse under the care and control of a licensee,
regardless of location, and subjects them to testing for blood and/or gene
doping agents without advance notice. Horses could be selected at
random, with probably cause, or as determined by the commission.
The main difference
between RMTC proposal and the existing Out of Competition model rule is that it
seeks to prohibit the use of anabolic steroids in training except under defined
restrictions.
Existing regulatory
policy currently strictly prohibits steroids in competition. This
proposal seeks to expand authority to regulate substances that some claim have
therapeutic value to some horses, in specific circumstances. This
is done in human sport and the way the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) deals
with the legitimate medical needs of human athletes is to permit exemptions for
therapeutic use for otherwise prohibited substances ti be used in training and
competition.
