LEXINGTON, KY - Reports of federal legislation to be introduced
next week have raised concerns that the bill being considered would weaken the
current anti-doping program in horse racing.
“While we have the utmost respect for what the US Anti-Doping
Agency does in human sport, we are concerned that the program they deploy
permits the use of prohibited substances in competition upon receipt of a
therapeutic use exemption, something we do not allow in horse racing,” Racing
Commissioners International (RCI) President Ed Martin said.
“If those standards were applied to horse racing, they would
considerably weaken the current program as well as undermine some of the
reforms we are currently working to implement,” he said.
Martin noted that the drug testing program in racing is the most
aggressive in professional sport and is totally independent, conducted by
official government agencies subject to audit, legislative review, and public
transparency.
The RCI President also noted that there is an enormous gap in
the magnitude of the USADA program when compared to the existing program in
racing.
According to the 2011 USADA annual report, 8,204 drug tests were
conducted. That number is slightly larger than the number of racing related
tests conducted in Indiana alone.
Nationally, US racing commissions conducted over 385,000 drug
tests on equine and greyhound athletes in 2011.
“We appreciate the desire of those in Congress who wish to help
us in our anti-doping efforts, but we think a better way might be to revisit
the $9 million in federal aid received by the USADA each year to require that
some be set aside to fund equine drug testing research projects,” Martin said.
“That’s where we believe they can be a tremendous help.”
##########
Appendix
(Source:
USADA 2011 Annual Report -page 14)
“USADA performed a total of 8,204 doping control tests in 2011.
Of those tests, 6,666 were domestic tests and 1,538 were tests administered on
U.S. and non-U.S. athletes in the United States on behalf of other anti-doping
and sports organizations.
Out-of-competition (OOC) testing accounted for 5,497 (67%) of the
total doping control test numbers. Of these, USADA was contracted to provide
doping control services for 933 OOC tests on behalf of various anti-doping and
sports organizations. OOC testing typically occurs at the athlete’s home,
training facility or other locations and is performed with no advance notice to
the athlete; however, some OOC tests are coordinated during team training
camps.
In-competition (IC) tests conducted at 201 competitions
throughout the U.S. accounted for 2,707 (33%) of the total doping control test
numbers for 2011. Of these, USADA was contracted to provide doping control for
605 user-pay tests at 60 sport events throughout the United States.”
2011 USADA Testing – Quarterly Breakdown
(Source: USADA 2011 Annual Report -page 14)
|
|
Q1
|
Q2
|
Q3
|
Q4
|
TOTAL
|
|
OCC
|
1062
|
1346
|
1738
|
1351
|
5497
|
|
IC
|
550
|
929
|
845
|
383
|
2707
|
|
TOTAL:
|
1612
|
2275
|
2583
|
1734
|
8204
|
Therapeutic Use Exemptions
(Source: USADA 2011 Annual Report -page 22)
In the event a necessary
medication contains a prohibited substance, the Drug Reference team guides
athletes through the process to obtain a TUE for the use of the medication in
sport.
The graphs and tables below
describe the volume and nature of inquiries to the Drug Reference Department
and the volume and nature of TUE applications.
TUE Applications Received (Grouped by Substance
and Authority)
(Source: USADA 2011 Annual Report -page 22)
Substance
|
IF
|
USADA
|
TOTAL
|
|
Anabolic Agents
|
6
|
41
|
47
|
|
Beta-2 Agonists
|
3
|
40
|
43
|
|
Diuretics
|
5
|
30
|
35
|
|
Glucocorticosteroids
|
26
|
45
|
71
|
|
Hormones
|
6
|
22
|
28
|
|
Prohibited Methods
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
|
Cannabinoids
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
|
Narcotics
|
6
|
23
|
29
|
|
Permitted substances
|
1
|
16
|
17
|
|
Stimulants
|
49
|
96
|
138
|
|
Peptide Hormones
|
0
|
3
|
3
|
|
Immunoglobulin
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
|
Beta-Blockers
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
|
Unknown
|
3
|
1
|
4
|
|
TOTAL:
|
100
|
322
|
422
|
TUE
Applications Processed
(Source: USADA 2011 Annual Report -page 22)
(grouped according to outcome and granting
authority)
Outcome:
|
IF
|
USADA
|
TOTAL
|
|
TUE Granted
|
57
|
127
|
184
|
|
No Action
|
20
|
36
|
56
|
|
TUEs Denied
|
12
|
45
|
57
|
|
Returned
|
9
|
113
|
122
|
|
Decision Pending
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
