British Horseracing Authority Announces Zero-Tolerance Anabolic Steroid Policy

The British Horseracing Authority has announced details of its "tougher policy on anabolic steroids, including a 14-month ban for any horses found to have been administered the drugs," according to the London TELEGRAPH. High-profile cases involving Mahmood Al Zarooni and Gerard Butler "hit the headlines last year, and the BHA has strengthened its stance with a zero-tolerance approach on steroids." Under the rules a horse must "not be given an anabolic steroid at any point in its life and any that are will be banned from training for 12 months and ineligible to start in any race in Britain for 14 months." All British-bred horses "must be registered with Weatherbys within 12 months of birth, a period which will be phased to six months in two years, and they must be available for testing at any time after registration" (TELEGRAPH, 6/26).