anti-doping

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's "rulings" portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) "pending" and "resolved" cases portals. Resolved ADMC Violations Dates: 04/07/2026 Licensee: Susan L. Crowell, trainer Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone--a class C controlled substance--in a sample taken from America's Honor on 3/8/26. Dates: 04/07/2026 Licensee:...

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Tuesday opened a two-week public commentary period for a number of proposed Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) rule changes. The modifications would affect the Rule 8000 Series, which outlines enforcement procedures, violations, sanctions, investigatory powers, and hearing processes for alleged violations of HISA regulations. Rules related to anti-doping and medication control are excluded from this round of proposed changes, because they are covered separately in the 3000 Series. Selected highlights of the proposed changes, as explained in the Sept. 9 Federal Register notice...

During a detail-crammed 90 minutes, representatives from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) and Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) took to a virtual town hall Thursday to talk some of the what, how and whys of the federal program's budget processes since its inception in 2022 and on into next year's yet-to-be projected cost sheet. As HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus summed up the event, "HISA operates as a service to the industry. We owe a tremendous fiduciary obligation to our stakeholders, and we take that very seriously." The...

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is expanding its equine anti-doping programme to include testing for evidence of gene doping, following extensive research into detection methods. In a significant move to protect the integrity of British racing and the welfare of thoroughbred racehorses, the testing will be incorporated immediately into the BHA's routine raceday and out of competition sampling processes. Gene doping includes the use of genetic or cellular manipulation of the horse's DNA, either directly via gene editing techniques or by the addition of genetic material into the cell by...

A new equine anti-doping and medication control initiative was announced by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) on Thursday. The initiative underpins their commitment to the regulation of medicine use and zero tolerance of doping in horse racing on both sides of the Irish Sea. The IHRB and BHA are now formally conducting joint out-of-competition-testing operations across both jurisdictions. These inspections started this week with almost 250 samples taken from more than 120 horses that are entered for the upcoming Cheltenham Festival in an...

With the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) first pending rulings for medication and anti-doping related violations having just been made public, the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (THA) issued a reminder Thursday of the possible sanctions under this new federal framework. As the THA points out, taken as a whole the penalty scheme under the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) is significantly more stringent than that imposed previously by state commissions. These new sanctions pertain to medication positives and other anti-doping related infractions that come after May 22, when HIWU's...

Following a launch March 27, the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) plans to resume enforcement of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program May 22. The program seeks to implement the following: Transparency: The ADMC Program requires public disclosure of alleged Anti-Doping Rule Violations once the Covered Person has been notified of the violation and Provisionally Suspended. The alleged violation will be reported by HIWU on its website, and the public information disclosed will include the date of the collection, the name of...

Edited Press Release The Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU), the independent enforcement agency of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program, has reached arrangements with all state racing commissions and/or racetracks that will be conducting live racing on or soon after the implementation of the ADMC Program, which is anticipated to be Monday, Mar. 27, 2023. The laboratories that will be conducting testing under the Program have also been confirmed. "HIWU appreciates the opportunity to engage with state racing commissions, racetracks, and laboratories...

Edited Press Release The individuals who will comprise the Internal Adjudication Panel (IAP), which will hear Controlled Medication Rule Violation Cases under HISA's Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program, were announced Friday by HISA and HIWU. IAP members, who will serve for 4-year terms as independent contractors to both HISA and HIWU, were selected for their deep equine regulatory experience. State stewards will be prohibited from participating in cases originating in their state of employment. All members of the panel will receive training on HISA's adjudication processes under the ADMC...

In Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) President Ed Martin's letter to the Thoroughbred Daily News on Feb. 2, he once again defends the status quo with few facts and no real solutions to racing's lack of national uniformity in rules and regulations for safety and medication control. Ed has been defending the status quo for years. In 2018, and again in 2020, Ed testified before Congress against the then-forerunner to the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act, saying it was "a radical and unnecessary federalization of a state responsibility...

The Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) has formally asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to set aside and temporarily not approve proposed anti-doping and medication control rules proposed by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) until the constitutionality of the HISA Act is determined by the Courts. "This has nothing to do with wanting uniform rules or having a central rule-making authority, two things the ARCI supports," said Ed Martin, ARCI President. "This all has to do with avoiding a situation where an enforcement action is overturned because...

The anti-doping saliva testing pilot programme has been paused by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). Started in May of 2021, the programme was halted due to the negative laboratory follow-up analysis requested after a point of care racecourse non-negative saliva sample donated by jockey Sean Levey at Sandown on Wednesday, Sept. 14. The BHA said in a statement, "A review of the pilot, which has tested more than 1,300 samples, is now underway to determine what can be learned and agree with the [Professional Jockeys' Association] (PJA) on a combined...