Sheikh’s trainer gets eight-year ban for steroids breach

Mahmood Al Zarooni

Trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni has copped an eight-year disqualification after admitting giving anabolic steroids to horses nether his attention  in the Godolphin racing functioning of Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

The penalization was handed downwards past times the disciplinary panel of the British Horseracing Authority after Al Zarooni’s admission.

Al Zarooni has admitted what he called a catastrophic fault inward using the the 2 banned drugs, ethylestranol together with stanozolol.

The hearing was held on Th afternoon, after eleven horses returned positive samples for the steroids next random testing at his Newmarket yard before this month.

It emerged that the steroids had been given to a farther iv Godolphin horses inward his attention which were non purpose of the testing programme.

The fifteen horses conduct maintain been suspended from racing for half-dozen months.

Al Zarooni released a disceptation at a press conference afterwards.

“First together with foremost,” he said, “I would similar to apologise to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed equally good equally to all those involved amongst Godolphin together with the populace who follow British racing.

“I convey that it was my responsibleness to live on aware of the rules regarding prohibited substances inward Britain.

“I tin exclusively apologise together with repeat what I said inward my disceptation before inward the calendar week – I conduct maintain made a catastrophic error.”

Godolphin’s racing manager Simon Crisford said: “This is a terrible situation. It’s an awful province of affairs that Godolphin has found themselves in. Mr Al Zarooni acted amongst awful recklessness together with caused tremendous damage, non exclusively to Godolphin together with British racing.

“I mean value it volition convey a rattling long fourth dimension for Godolphin to regain the trust of the British public. We’re shocked together with completely outraged past times the actions he has taken.”

The main executive of the British Horseracing Authority, Paul Bittar, thanked Godolphin possessor Sheikh Mohammed for his support, proverb the “rapid resolution” would non conduct maintain been possible without his amount co-operation.

“We believe that it is recognised past times all who follow our sport that the circumstances inward this particular example are exceptional, non exclusively on trouble concern human relationship of the profile of the possessor inward question, exactly equally good the number together with calibre of the horses involved,” Bittar said.

“However, nosotros equally good believe the final result is an endorsement for the effectiveness of British Racing’s dope-testing programme.

“The root together with immediate priority was to constitute the facts equally to how the prohibited substances came to live on acquaint inward the horses’ samples. Secondly, inward sentiment of the potential repercussions for the sport together with the profile of the races for which to a greater extent than or less of the horses held entries, it was inward the public’s interest, equally good equally that of BHA together with Godolphin, to progress the disciplinary procedures equally chop-chop equally possible.”

He thanked all those who enabled that to happen.

“This rapid resolution would equally good non conduct maintain been possible without the amount co-operation of Godolphin together with Sheikh Mohammed.

“The relevant Rules inward this example are explicit inward that the usage of anabolic steroids inward horses inward the attention of a licensed trainer is prohibited together with that strict liability for everything administered to horses piece they are inward grooming lies amongst the trainer.

“The BHA’s investigation has established that the substances inward inquiry were administered on the education of Mahmood Al Zarooni. The amount details of this volition live on formally addressed inward the Disciplinary Panel’s findings, to live on published inward due course of education together with in 1 lawsuit they are available.

“We believe that the eight-year disqualification issued to Al Zarooni past times the Disciplinary Panel, together amongst the half-dozen calendar month racing restriction placed on the horses inward inquiry past times the BHA, volition serve to reassure the public, together with the sport’s participants, that usage of performance-enhancing substances inward British Racing volition non live on tolerated together with that the sport has inward house a robust together with effective anti-doping together with medication command programme.”

The fifteen horses known to conduct maintain received the steroids are out of racing until Oct 9.

They are Artigiano (USA), Bathrat Amal (JPN), Certify (USA), Comitas (GB), Desert Blossom (IRE), Fair Hill (GB),
Ghostflower (IRE), Opinion Poll (IRE), Orkney Island (GB), Restraint of Trade (IRE), Sashiko (GB), Sweet Rose (GB),
Tearless (GB), Vacationer (GB) together with Valley of Queens (IRE).

The suspensions were imposed past times the British Horseracing Authority together with are carve upwardly from the electrical flow disciplinary process.

The manager of raceday operations together with regulation for the BHA, Jamie Stier, said: “The length of interruption reflects the menstruation beyond which the BHA is confident that the horses inward inquiry tin conduct maintain derived no performance-related create goodness from the direction of these prohibited substances.”

 

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