Attempts To Circumvent Anti-Doping Rules

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29258, 16 July 1960, Page 6

Attempts To Circumvent Anti-Doping Rules

“Tiw Press" Specuu Sermce WELLINGTON, July 15. The indications ware that attempts were being made to circumvent the anti-doping rules by other means, the president (Mr G. H. Grigg) said in his address today to the Racing Conference. There were proper reasons why he should not elaborate on that at this stage.

“The efforts of the Conference to eliminate the doping of horses continues to meet with reasonable success, ** said Mr Grigg; ’ “unfortunately 1 am unable to say with complete success. During, the year two positive returns were made by the conference analyst and in each case action under the rules was taken or is being taken.

“The indications are that there has been a substantial reduction in the administration of drugs such as strychnine, caffeine, cocaine and its compounds, which were in more common use some years ago

In the Froth case the Wellington District Committee added to its decision a rider to the effect that, in the interests of owners and trainers, the rules relating to doping ought to be reviewed, said Mr Grigg. The reason given was that, in existing circumstances, there was grave risk of owners and trainers being innocent victims of positive tests. “Unfortunate” Publicity

“Naturally this rider has been considered carefully by the executive committee, he said “In the first place, it feels that in the circumstances this method of expressing the views of the committee publicly was unfortunate. It was unnecessary for the purpose of the actual decision which was to dismiss the charges thereby showing, incidentally, that the rules do afford protection to innocent persons. "As it was, publicity was given to a subject which is full of problems many of which probably were unknown to the District Committee. While not wishing in any way to restrict the inherent rights of committees dealing with these matters to say what they think is proper, the executive committee considers that in a matter such as this the more prudent .course would have been to bring the views of the District Committee to the notice of the Conference through the ordinary channels of writing either to the secretary or myself. Innocents Suffer “1 emphasise that it la inevitable that, from time to time, owners or trainers who are entirely Innocent of having played any part in the administration of a drug will suffer as the result of a positive test,” said Mr Grigg. The primary object of the rules was to ensure that racing was kept clean and that no owner or trainer obtained a benefit from any given race not shared by the owners and trainers of other horses In that race. If. for example, the horse was not liable to disqualification. the deterrent effect of the rules would be greatly reduced. Under other rules, such as interference, entirely innocent owners and trainers could suffer also. It was not suggested In what respects the rules should be reviewed and the executive committee considered that no case had been established warranting any substantial alteration. The practice of the Conference, through ita officials and

Its solicitor, was simply to place before committees all the information they have obtained relating to the particular charge. Persons charged and owners were afforded full opportunity to criticise that evidence and to slate their own cases. It was then for the committees to reach decisions on the whole of the evidence. There could be no doubt at all that the committees did do so fairly and conscientiously. "What may have been the real matter concerning the district committee. and it is one which I know concerns many thoughtful persons interested in racing, is the fine line there may be In any given case between what Is accepted therapeutic practice and what is doping within the meaning," said Mr Grigg. “Admittedly this has raised problems of very real difficulty. It has been suggested that the Conference should prepare some list specifying what are regarded aa drugs within the rules and what would be accepted as proper medicinal practice. Operation of List "Merely to attempt such a list shows how great and indeed Insuperable are the difficulties. So much depends on such matters 'as the nature of the particular drug, the amount administered, whether administration was oral or by Injection. the time of administration, and the possible differences of effect upon different horses. It is felt, therefore, that in some cases such a list could operate most unfairly and, in other cases, would open the way wider for Improper practices to be Indulged in with impunity." There was a further aspect of this which should not be forgotten. As the rules were at present, their administration was properly in the haqds of the various racing tribunals. Without some amendment to the rules, the executive committee would have no right to prepare such a list and to suggest that it should be binding upon any of these tribunals which had the unlettered discretion to determine the case in accordance with the rules. Of course, any necessary amendment to the rules could be made but the executive committee was certainly not in favour of this. "Overseas many attempts have been made to meet this problem and so far without real success,” said Mr Grigg. In America, for example, many of the States had Introduced a 48-hour rule, but many other, were opposed to It. “I can assure you that this matter Is constantly under consideration and, if something reasonably practical to meet the position without derogating from the effect of the rule emerges. It would certainly receive careful and sympathetic examination. I can also assure you that in every ease care Is exercised as to whether the circumstances warrant any action being taken under the rules.