Drugs are Friggin Everywhere! Zero-Tolerance Policy Causing Total Confusion

[andymays]

http://www.drf.com/news/zero-tolerance-policy-causing-total-confusion

Excerpt:

In fact, almost all drug positives being called are of the minor variety . So far in 2010, there have been over 400 medication-related rulings against Thoroughbreds in the United States, according to information collected by the ARCI and available on website of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, an industry research group. Not one positive has been called for a Class 1 drug, the most serious, and only four Class 2 Thoroughbred violations made the RMTC list. One of those was for caffeine, which regularly produces positives tests, not because it was administered to a horse, but because of environmental contamination.

Excerpt:

“Horses actually are tested for more drugs at a lower level than in any other sport,”

[thaskalos]

The biggest joke in all this, is the insistance of the industry that they are implementing a "no-tolerance" drug policy...while they continue dishing out brief suspensions, and $1,000 fines, to millionaire trainers.

[andymays]

The biggest joke in all this, is the insistance of the industry that they are implementing a "no-tolerance" drug policy...while they continue dishing out brief suspensions, and $1,000 fines, to millionaire trainers.

I think the article is saying something else.

It sounds like they need to set standards and live with them. Update the testing every 6 months and get this stuff out of the headlines every week.

[thaskalos]

I read the article...and I don't even know if the author himself knows what point he is trying to make.

I do know this, however.

If their "no-tolerance" drug policies were indeed put into place as a way of relieving the betting public of their paranoia, as far as the "integrity" of this game is concerned...then they have failed miserably.

[46zilzal]

MANY drugs CLINICAL effect is apparent LONG after the blood tests are back to normal. Male hormones given to sparse filly eaters are one.

[andymays]

I read the article...and I don't even know if the author himself knows what point he is trying to make.

I do know this, however.

If their "no-tolerance" drug policies were indeed put into place as a way of relieving the betting public of their paranoia, as far as the "integrity" of this game is concerned...then they have failed miserably.

"Zero Tolerance" doesn't work. They need to put a policy in place for everyone in the country (national standards) and live with it and move on.

[thaskalos]

We have been waiting for decades for a unified governing body to be instituted in this sport...and we are no closer to it now than we ever were.

Everyone is concerned with their "piece of the pie"...and nothing else.

[andymays]

We have been waiting for decades for a unified governing body to be instituted in this sport...and we are no closer to it now than we ever were.

Everyone is concerned with their "piece of the pie"...and nothing else.

I call it their own "little kingdoms". ;)

These guys love to go to meetings and be interviewed so they can grandstand on the issues yet they very rarely do anything positive for the sport. They keep getting pay raises and promotions though. :rolleyes:

[46zilzal]

We have been waiting for decades for a unified governing body to be instituted in this sport...and we are no closer to it now than we ever were.

Everyone is concerned with their "piece of the pie"...and nothing else.
we HAVE such a thing right across your northern border

all in one package under the Department of Agriculture, as a matter of fact I work indirectly for them and have to sign an oversight sheet daily to outline any irregularities encountered in a day's program.

http://www4.agr.gc.ca/AAFC-AAC/display-afficher.do?id=1204043533186&lang=eng

[Tom]

Male hormones given to sparse filly eaters are one.

:eek::eek::eek::eek: