ANTIDOPING: SAMPLING IN TRAINING CENTERS

Doping controls restarted in both trotting and galloping training centres.

The personnel appointed by the General Management for horse racing in Masaf have been to some stables to take samples, according to current regulations.

Some Swedish veterinarians and officials have also taken part in the doping prevention activities, and have carefully followed the procedures of their Italian colleagues. The objective for the current year is to increase the frequency and the extent of the controls, both to protect animal welfare and the regularity of the competitions, and obviously to ensure that all those involved comply with the rules, penalising fraudulent behaviour, in line with the political indications.

Already last year the activity had been carried out a decisive action to combat doping also in training centres, with over 600 samples taken between trotting and galloping, with a higher positivity rate in the controls carried out at the training centres than in those at the track (2.3% against 0.35 in trotting; 0.96% against 0.37 in galloping).