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Quite an explosive interview in the Sunday Independant today with Jim Bolger from Paul Kimmage, a journalist probably most well known for his work exposing the culture of doping in cycling.
The kicker at the end of the piece, relayed in the sub headline, that there will be a Lance Armstrong in Irish racing is sure to generate a lot of attention
The article is paywalled for those without a subscription / paper copy so not sure what forum rules there are here about reposting in its entirety.
There are a number of points raised such as the idea European racing authorities should engage USADA to assist in testing/investigation of doping in the sport, the suggestion there has been a persistant doping problem for the last 20 years in horse racing since the availability of steroids become more widespread, inference around a lack of investigative journalism in horse racing and the unwillingness to comment from fellow trainers/lack of knowledge on their part on the level of doping in the sport.Irish racing may well be very successful but it appears to be very badly administered in some respects.
From the revelation that only one track had CCTV in the stable blocks; to a strong suggestion of doping; and an individual guilty of seriously cruelty to horses who only got a four year ban from training but can still work in the sport – it looks like the Irish authorities have serious questions to answer about their competence.
Not at all surprising.
If these were British authorities there’d be massive criticism in the Racing / British press.
Irish authorities are so weak almost seems they’re encouraging wrongdoing.
Would Irish authorities rather their horses kept winning than look too closely?
But criticism of the Irish is seldomn allowed these days, because of past religeous and political wrongs Britain has done to Ireland in the past.
Value Is EverythingThat is some sweeping statement Ginger.
Can you back it up to show how the British authorities are doing any better?
Isn’t the lab for sampling jointly housed in Newmarket?
Is this the same article regurgitated from last year?On this subject, anyone who has read William Jones’s ‘The Dark Horse Inside Coolmore’ and found it a little underwhelming and a bit messy presentation wise, and on that basis decided that the follow up, ‘The Black Horse Is Dying’, was not worth getting hold of, may be pleasantly surprised if they gave it a read.
I would not really call it a follow up book for it’s a deeply researched, well presented publication cataloguing in great detail the drug problem in racing. In the main it focuses Stateside but it also examines the issues in the aforementioned newspaper article, and the mystery of that disappearing list of a dozen Irish trainers found during one of the Department Of Agricultures raids.
Of the mainstream racing journalists, during the last few decades I can only recall the late Paul Haigh being prepared to dig deeply into the issue, both in Pacemaker, and in a series he penned for the Racing Post.
That is some sweeping statement Ginger.
Can you back it up to show how the British authorities are doing any better?Sam,
Fact they didn’t bother with cameras at racecourse stables isn’t just surprising, it’s unbelievable and so stupid, so negligent that it makes me wonder (A) Was it deliberate? and (B) If they got that so wrong what else have they done?
…And then there’s the penalties given for drug wrongdoing being so small. Deterrent is not enough. If I were a trainer in Ireland – and liked to cheat – I’d think it’s worth taking the chance.
Other stuff I’ve gone into before.
Other stuff I’d better not go in to on here.Value Is Everything“If I were a trainer in Ireland – and liked to cheat…..”
But you are not, Do you have any proof that the British authorities are doing any better than their Irish counterparts?. Who was the last English trainer to be punished for doping horses? Or was it a Vet?So you’ve gone from asking me to “back it up” to “proof“. Of course I have no proof… and if not looking too closely the Irish Authorities won’t find any either.
What I am saying is imo deterrents in Ireland are not enough to put trainers off doping and other offences against horses. Philip Fenton 3 years, Charles Byrnes given just a 6 months suspension. etc. Not “doping” but even Gordon Elliott just 6 months. Irish authorities are weak and – no racecourse stables cameras – incompetent!!! What else have they done or not done that we don’t yet know about?
Doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.British authorities are far from perfect. However, at least every British trainer knows Al Zarooni was banned for 8 years and probably won’t be allowed to train in Britain again under the fit and proper person rule. That’s probably enough of a deterrent for the vast majority of British trainers.
Value Is EverythingAmazing answer.
Better men than me have given up on arguments with you Gingertipster.
I love it that you are now defending Godolphin, the head of whom you despise to make some point to say the British are tougher on doping.
Al Zarooni was a small part of a large organisation who were cleared by the tough British racing authorities of any widescale cheating.
So can you name any British trainers or not?Can the op confirm if this is the same article from last year, which would mean Jim Bolger hasn’t actually said anything new about the claims he made last year.
“British authorities are far from perfect. However, at least every British trainer knows Al Zarooni was banned for 8 years and probably won’t be allowed to train in Britain again under the fit and proper person rule. That’s probably enough of a deterrent for the vast majority of British trainers.”
In the words of the judean people’s front (life of Brian)
“That’ll show em!!!”
As you say Ginger “value is everything” and that, my man was priceless.I don’t think Ginger is defending Goldolphin or saying that al-Zarooni dodn’t deserve it, just pointing out disparties in sentencing.
Philip Fenton 3 years, Charles Byrnes given just a 6 months suspension.
Nicky Henderson got 3 months. But then he probably went to school with the BHA head sheds and his daddy has a race named after him at Cheltenham.
“Can the op confirm if tbis is the sane article from last year, which would mean Jim Bolger hasnt actually said anything new about the claims he made last year.”
Its a new interview, the same issues have been raised previously and not answered which is why the topic has come up again.
The points raised above around disparity in treatment of the topic between UK/Irish jurisdictions might have some validity. In practice, GB,Irish and French runners cross pollinate in competition not infrequently, at least at the higher levels, so if the claims made are serious and valid then should be of interest to all 3 governing bodies (and beyond)Interesting that Kimmage is involved with this; as he’ll recognise and understand the ‘omerta’ of the horse racing ‘peloton’ that Bolger has broken this with his revelations. It never went down well in cycling when someone came out and ‘talked’ – it won’t go down well in racing.
There is doping in many sports; but athletics & cycling were easy targets as they conducted regular drug tests; and any positives were regularly reported. Other sports with higher profiles, and more power, could just ignore it – and brush any problems under the carpet, i;e football/tennis..
If Kimmage, and for example, David Walsh get their teeth into this in a big way, it could be explosive, but is this a one off, or will he carry on digging.
I don’t expect any of the regular racing press to get involved….The only way for this to come to the surface will be through independent testing from an international agency with no vested interest.
Thank you for the clarification and the additional information regarding Nicky Henderson, Greenasgrass.
No Ginger you were not defending Godolphin.
Horses are being doped on both sides of the Irish sea and it is the job of the racing authorities to police the situation. There does not seem adequate deterrent in place or will to prevent this.
That neither body has met with significant success is not any surprise.
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