Race authorities set to probe spate of doping cases

THE RACECOURSE Club authorities are awaiting confirmation of test results before investigating doping allegations against winning horses.

Police are also yet to launch any investigation of their own. Senior police headquarters officer Stelios Neophytou yesterday denied widespread reports that police were already looking at the case: “We are not carrying out any investigation at this time, but I understand that the Race Course authorities themselves are looking into the matter.”

Reports had said that CID officers went to the Racecourse on Tuesday to collect information on the latest outbreaks of suspected horse doping. Thirteen horses have tested positive in the last eight meets.

Their samples have now been sent for a second confirmation test. Racecourse Authority president Akis Petris yesterday told the Cyprus Mail this meant 15 per cent of competing horses were thought to have been using performance- enhancing drugs.

Overseas figures are estimated at only one per cent. According to Racecourse rules, the horses’ trainers are held responsible whenever an animal is found to be drugged. Petris said trainers were not happy about the situation, but added the Authority had no choice: “Who are we supposed to punish, the horses?” He said the Authority had not yet launched an investigation as they were still awaiting test results: “It all depends on them.” Winning horses always have their urine tested to examine whether they have been doped.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.