New rules put swabs on ice

Press, 25 January 1989, Page 33

New rules put swabs on ice

NZPA-AAP Sydney The Harness Racing Authority of New South Wales will implement radical changes to strengthen its post-race swabbing procedure. It will create a precedent in harness racing in Australia. The new procedure, to commence on February 1, will require all negative samples to be frozen and

stored. The authority’s general manager, Bryan Robertson, said that original samples would be sent to the AJC laboratory and would be held in storage at sub-zero temperatures. “All swabs taken from standardbred horses at licensed harness racing meetings are processed through the AJC laboratory and under the new

procedure these samples may be analysed at a later date,” he said. The authority’s decision will be adopted under a new rule — 395(A) — and will leave the way clear for the examination of

i previously undetectable t drugs. ; The rule states that I “stewards or the control- ■ ling body, or any official ' analyst may direct tha’

any swabs, blood, urine and/or other samples or part thereof be stored and frozen for analysis at any future time.”

“Obviously we are sending a clear warning to anyone who may contemplate using an illegal substance in the belief that current analysis, cannot detect it,” Mr Robertson said.