Reply With QuoteMango if you have read all the posts on this thread you will have read about "stacking" "micro dosing" and "masking" agents, these are all part of protocols to use performance enhancing drugs and when combined with private testing negate post race testing. Simply put our rules where written for an era where oil based anabolic steroids did test for considerable amounts of time so that whilst in theory horses could train on them the most likely scenario was that they actually did not, with those trainers/vets that used them giving them to the horse as it left the stable to go for a spell. Water based steroids didn't test for anywhere near as long and most trainers didn't use them because they didn't believe they were sufficiently effective.Originally Posted by mango
Unfortunately as Bill pointed out with a remark a long the lines of "good luck" with getting the rules changed harness racings rules have not kept pace (no pun intended!) with either science or public opinion. Bills example was with regard to the use of anti ulcer meds which only in the last year or so were removed from the prohibitted substance list (but still cant be administered raceday when they are probably needed most ) years after the TB's allowed their use. Perhaps Bill can enlighten us as to exactly how long? I can tell you Mango that the change in harness racings rules came more then a decade after the FEI (Federation Equestrian Internationale) allowed horses in international equestrian sports to compete on anti ulcer medication after years of research showed they had no performance enhancing effect.
Likewise the NSW parliament (the elected representatives of the NSW people) legislated some 6 years ago that only Vets should be permitted to use a naso gastro tube on a horse yet harness racing rules still allow trainers to "tube" a horse except within 48 hours of a race.
Put simply Mango our rules on out of competition testing for anabolic steroids are out of date and harness racing needs to wake from its slumber on the matter and move to bring us in line with both science and public opinion. Anabolic steroids are banned for human athletes to train and compete on not only because of the performance enhancing properties in competion but because of the side effects and long term effects on health, so why should our equine athletes not be afforded the same level of protection. Humans do not accept human athletes training on anabolic steroids, and have developed both post and out of competition testing in an attempt to prevent it, so why should we accept our horses training on anabolic steroids instead of changing the rules and making anabolic steroids a banned substance in an out of competition test.
