Testing For Banned Substances

[Mark Roberts]

Judy I once asked for a list of banned sustances (many years ago before the present WCRA committee) and was told I didn't need to know?

 

[Judy]

Probably because they didn't know either

 

[Mark Roberts]

Thats the thing, if we are going to have testing then officials have got to understand 100% what they are testing for and what the results mean, otherwise lets just get rid of it before it ruines our sport.

 

[Nigel]

Everyone should want to stop any possibility of drugs being used in this or any sport - but you have to think very carefully before introducing any testing.

Last time we had drug testing I saw no benefit for anyone - just a lot of bad feeling and expense. The samples were collected in anything but ideal conditions by people who were by no means impartial. The samples were not split - so there was no guarantee that the sample tested was the right sample or hadn't been tampered with. There was no list of banned substances so the system was wide open to abuse.

Unless the testing methods are very carefully planned (and the procedures followed 100%) and the whole process carried out by impartial third parties then any positive test would cause such a problem as not to be worth it.

 

[Vicky]

Judy I once asked for a list of banned sustances (many years ago before the present WCRA committee) and was told I didn't need to know?

In non ped racing, our committee's don't give us a list of banned substances, their opinion is feed only water / dog food and you'll not show positive (which sounds good in theory but we all know whippets are the greediest thieving sods alive), they also think giving out a list will be asking for abuse as people could use some of the substances for races when drug testing doesn't take part!