Disciplinary panel rejected Al Zarooni’s explanation

Mahmood Al Zarooni

The disciplinary panel that banned Mahmood Al Zarooni for 8 years over the purpose of anabolic steroids on horses did non convey the high-profile trainer’s explanation that he did non realise giving the drugs nether such circumstances was banned inward Britain.

Al Zarooni was banned slowly concluding calendar week afterward he admitted to a “catastrophic error” inward administering the steroids to fifteen horses. The animals were component subdivision of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s prestigious Godolphin racing enterprise.

Two banned steroids, ethylestranol in addition to stanozolol, were detected inward the testing of eleven horses trained past times Al Zarooni at his yard inward Newmarket early on inward April. He admitted that 4 other horses non tested past times regime had equally good received the banned drugs.

The Disciplinary Panel of the British Horseracing Authority held an enquiry on Apr 25.

The panel, comprising Matthew Lohn, Hopper Cavendish in addition to Edward Dorrell, noted that Al Zarooni had, at the outset, admitted all the alleged breaches in addition to apologised for his actions.

The panel noted that Al Zarooni had been responsible for precisely over 200 horses at Godolphin’s Moulton Paddocks Stables inward Newmarket, amongst samples taken from 45 during the Apr ix testing.

Eleven of the animals returned positive tests for the steroids.

Al Zarooni was interviewed in addition to explained that his cognition of the drug came from working inward Dubai, where purpose of anabolic steroids inward grooming is permitted.

He told the investigating officeholder that he idea the drug could endure used if the Equus caballus was non racing.

Al Zarooni confirmed that he had non recorded the direction of whatsoever of the anabolic steroids inward the stable’s medication books. He could offering no explanation for this omission.

At the hearing Al Zarooni admitted, when questioned past times the panel, that he personally brought the anabolic steroids into the Great Britain inward his luggage when returning from Dubai.

“Al Zarooni explained to the panel that inward Dubai anabolic steroid drugs are given to horses inward training. Having received the drug, the horses are alone allowed to race next elapse of the 28 twenty-four hours withdrawal menstruation for the drug.”

The panel continued: “In this case, Al Zarooni has admitted that he personally brought anabolic steroids into the Great Britain from Dubai in addition to asked his unqualified staff to administer the drugs.

“The panel considered in that place was no excuse for Al Zarooni to endure inward whatsoever doubtfulness equally to the illegality of administering anabolic steroids. The British Horseracing Authority has publicised this effect and, next the illustration of Howard Johnson inward 2011, the affair was given farther prominence.

“Al Zarooni’s assertion at the hearing that he did non know that such direction was non permitted inward the Great Britain was precisely non truthful.

“He asserted that he was alone trying to create the best for his horses who were unwell. He did non get got a credible explanation equally to why he had non discussed the affair amongst the stable’s veterinarian surgeons or entered a tape of the direction of the drugs inward the stable’s medication books.

“The panel concluded that Al Zarooni sought to confer an unfair wages on his horses past times the underhand direction of illegal medication. His drive at cheating was uncovered past times the regulatory inspection in addition to he had no justifiable excuse for his behaviour.

“The panel takes a real dim thought of the sheer mass of horses who were subjected to these unlawful medication regimes. This was a widespread systematic misuse of illegal substances which are absolutely prohibited nether the rules.

“Nearly a quarter of the 45 horses tested at the stables had positive samples. These were horses inward training, about of which were entered into races inward Apr in addition to May.

“There is no doubtfulness that the facilities available to Al Zarooni at Moulton Paddock Stables are impressive. He had access to proficient veterinarian advice from a pose out of sources but he deliberately ignored this resources in addition to chose to covertly administer to horses inward grooming anabolic steroids which he had brought dorsum into the Great Britain inward his luggage from Dubai.

“These horses inward interrogation were beingness actively reviewed past times veterinarian surgeons during the menstruation of direction of the drug. There was no argue for Al Zarooni’s failure to inform the veterinarian surgeons of this handling intervention unless equally inward this illustration the amount that was beingness administered was prohibited.

“The panel is firmly of the thought that this was non an accidental or inadvertent misunderstanding of the rules – this was a deliberate flouting of the governance framework of British racing past times i of the nearly high profile apartment trainers working inward the racing industry.

“The underhand in addition to repeated nature of these transgressions in addition to the disrepute into which racing is brought past times them tin alone endure marked past times a substantial penalty.”

The panel said it noted his apology in addition to remorse, equally good equally his co-operation amongst the investigation, but said this did picayune to improve the aggravating features of this case.

Al Zarooni’s actions had damaged the reputation of British racing, the panel said, inward explaining why the penalisation had been inward the upper terminate of the range.

 

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