2006
- the then Chairman of Bord na gCon, Paschal Taggart, 'confirmed that at least three
dogs had tested positive for the banned substance EPO
but said he stood over the decision not to publish the findings'
2014
- Marie Field, the wife of ex CEO of Bord na gCon, Michael Field, was 'fined €6,000
and had to forfeit her €35,000 prize money' for a positive sample given
from their co-owned/trained Greyhound - Kyle Calvin
- one of six Greyhounds which 'tested positive for banned substances'
at the National Coursing Meeting at Clonmel.
- the then Chairman of Bord na gCon, Paschal Taggart, 'confirmed that at least three
dogs had tested positive for the banned substance EPO
but said he stood over the decision not to publish the findings'
2014
- Marie Field, the wife of ex CEO of Bord na gCon, Michael Field, was 'fined €6,000
and had to forfeit her €35,000 prize money' for a positive sample given
from their co-owned/trained Greyhound - Kyle Calvin
- one of six Greyhounds which 'tested positive for banned substances'
at the National Coursing Meeting at Clonmel.
16th of February 2006 - Jimmy Deenihan introduced a Private Members Bill, 'entitled an Act to provide for the independent control of doping within the greyhound industry and to establish an independent regulatory appeals body'.
29th of March 2006 - the then Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism was asked, by Deputy Tony Gregory, for a statement on the matter of ' increasing use of unauthorised drugs in the greyhound industry'[racing and coursing]. The written reply given was that the question should be directed to Bord na gCon and Irish Coursing Club.
In June of 2006, the then Secretary General of the Justice Department, Tim Dalton published his damming report of 'Certain matters affecting the Bord na gCon'. In his concluding, on the subject of the doping of Greyhounds and the EPO/Paschal Taggart controversy:
'The reasons advanced for failing to publish details of the Control Committee findings in the two(EPO)cases......are not at all convincing'
(the then Chairman of the Control Committee Paschal Taggart - was at the same time then the Chairman of the Bord na gCon)
(the then Chairman of the Control Committee Paschal Taggart - was at the same time then the Chairman of the Bord na gCon)
7th of June 2006 - Jimmy Deenihan TD, speaking on his introduction of the Greyhound Industry(Doping Regulation)Bill 2006(second reading):
'there must be no room for cheats. For animal welfare reasons, Greyhounds should not be raced if they require pain killers or or other drugs to boost performance'.......'A leading Irish trainer received a substantial fine last year for using nandrolone in England, where it is prohibited. It is not a banned substance in Ireland, however'.....'Substances which are banned in England should be banned here and vice versa. I understand that a high profile trainer who was banned in the UK for using drugs got a licence to train in this country.
8th of June 2006, the second reading resumed with a heated debate, including accusations as to who may have leaked the Dalton Report, of 'Certain matters affecting the Bord na gCon', and its findings/recommendations to the media, before it was published.
The Tim Dalton Report 2006 - Certain matters affecting the Bord na gCon , like Jimmy Deenihan, Dalton raised the point of steroids not being prohibited in Ireland that are prohibited in the UK, and recommended that a policy prohibiting steroids, knowingly given to Greyhounds in Ireland, should be given consideration - and how The Greyhound Laboratory would be in a position to test for steroids under such a policy. The then Head of the Bord na gCon Laboratory, Dr.Jim Healy indicated to Dalton that:
'it would not be unreasonable if the Board[Bord na gCon]were to categorise steroids such as nandrolone as prohibited substances on the grounds that they can affect performance'
Dalton recommended, also like Deenihan, that the Control Committee should be independent of the Bord na gCon.
In June 2007, following recommendations of the Dalton Report, the Greyhound Industry (Control Committee and Control Appeal Committee) Regulations 2007 was signed in to dissolve the existing Control Committee, and establish a new Control Committee to oversee doping cases - independent of the Bord na gCon. However, members of the Control Committee are to be appointed by the Bord na gCon.
A new beginning for the 'integrity' of the Irish Greyhound industry?
October 2007 - the first report from the new Control Committee highlighted 'severe cautions' and fines for two of eight owners/trainers whose Greyhounds were 'found with traces of Benzoylecgonine' - a metabolite of cocaine, needless to say a prohibited substance. The then Minister of Department of Arts, Sports, and Tourism, Seamus Brennan, was pleased with the findings and assured them as an 'appropriate deterrent going forward'.
Earlier in 2007 - High-profile Irish trainer, Paul Hennessy pleaded guilty and was fined after a 'drugs haul'. Heart Rumble is nominated for 'Greyhound of the year'(for 2006)by a Bord na gCon judging panel. Heart Rumble was trained by Paul Hennessy and tested positive in 2004 for the UK banned steroid, nandrolone, after a race in Sunderland, UK. Heart Rumble continued to be used for racing in Ireland after Hennessy's fine. Hennessy was embroiled in the earlier highlighted 2006 EPO/Paschal Taggert controversy.
'Appropriate deterrent going forward'?
2009 - Shelbourne Aston, winner of the 2008 Irish Derby, gave a positive test for a 'steroidal substance' at the 2009 English Derby(Wimbledon). Irish trainer of Shelbourne Aston, Pat Curtin, was 'severely reprimanded' and fined £850 in a Greyhound Board of Great Britain Disciplinary Hearing. Shelbourne Aston continued to be used for racing in Ireland after the GBGB Hearing.
High-profile Irish trainers such as Paul Hennessy and Pat Curtin would surely know that steroids not banned in Ireland are banned in the UK?
2011 - 2013 - a brief on doping and dropped doping cases showed the number of positive tests for 2011 - 2013 being 152 - the number of those positive tests decided by the Control Committee being 92 - the details for the number of those positive tests decisions published being 61(publications of details for 2013 were not available at the time the information was requested - indeed the information was still unavailable during the 2014 review by Indecon). The period for 2011 - 2013 took up much of the Control Committee's time for 'one particular high profile case'.
2014
Pat Curtin again becomes caught up in a doping scandal. Kereight King(in the care of Curtin)gave a positive sample for Stanozolol, after a trial at Wimbledon, UK, for the 2014 English Derby. The GBGB Disciplinary Hearing findings are still awaited. Pat Curtin was given continued support from the Bord na gCon in a sponsorship deal. Kereight King is now retired to stud after sustaining an injury in the recent 2014 Irish Derby.
The pressure on the Bord na gCon on naming and shaming of dopers was raised in an article in the Irish Sunday Times, and of debate between the Bord na gCon, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and the Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Duncan Gibson, of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, told the journalist, John Mooney:
'the factual evidence from our sampling analyse didn't suggest a widespread abuse of stanozolol in Ireland'
Later in the year the GBGB would 'urge all trainers to exercise due diligence in assessing the drug status of greyhounds they purchase from Ireland' - in a September Disciplinary Committee Hearing for a positive sample of a metabolite of Stanozolol, taken from Irish born Gemstones Rover.
The anabolic steroid Stanozolol 'proving more difficult'[in it's oil-based form]for the Bord na gCon to detect - as seen in a 2013 meeting with DAFM.
With various Bord na gCon controversies coming to a head in 2013, invitations for submissions of tenders for another review of the Bord na gCon was announced. The damming 'review of certain matters relating to the Bord na gCon' by successful tenders Indecon was published in July 2014. Indecon highlighted the Control Committee is by legislation independent of the Bord na gCon in its decision making and the legislation does not give the Bord na gCon the right to appeal decisions.
Indecon found that although:
We only presume that the Irish Greyhound born in 2002(PTS in 2007)was named Nandrolone as some sort of joke - albeit a tasteless joke.
Indecon found that although:
'in percentage terms the number of positive tests is less than one percent....
....in absolute terms the number of positive tests is of concern'.
In reference to the doping of Greyhounds, Indecon went on to recommend:....in absolute terms the number of positive tests is of concern'.
- the Minister should appoint the members of the Control Committee.
- issues of dismissal of positive tests and delays in publishing results should be addressed.
- new legislation to allow for off-track random testing i.e owners/trainers kennels/premises/vehicles.
- may be more effective to outsource the Bord na gCon testing laboratory to a laboratory operating on a much larger scale.
- the number of tests taken, positive tests, and adverse findings to be published via the Bord na gCon website and annual reports.
October 2014 Iirsh Sunday Times - Details of Anabolic Steroids and banned drug sales to Irish Greyhound and Horse owners/trainers have been given to Irish Authorities. 'Department of Agriculture[Food and the Marine]and Irish Turf Club are examining the mailing list provided by Nature Vet'.(The Australian company, Nature vet, being the company that, high-profile Greyhound trainer, Paul Hennessy had bought from - earlier highlighted in the 2007 'drugs haul'). This follows a report, in September 2013, that DAFM had 'launched 149 inquiries into the attempted importation of controlled veterinary drugs and animal remedies over the past three years'.....'Among the substances which have been intercepted are antibiotics and banned performance-enhancement drugs. There have been four seizures of AMP 5, a drug given to horses and greyhounds to improve their racing ability'
UPDATE December 2014
In a disciplinary hearing(24th October 2014)for the positive sample given by Kereight King, Pat Curtin was again 'severely reprimanded'(as in 2009)and fined £3000.
In a recent Irish greyhound Board Press Release on doping the IGB wish to show a 'move towards greater transparency' towards doping - despite enjoying continued sponsorship from the Dublin Dandelion Bar and Nightclub - owned by Pat Curtin.
In a disciplinary hearing(24th October 2014)for the positive sample given by Kereight King, Pat Curtin was again 'severely reprimanded'(as in 2009)and fined £3000.
In a recent Irish greyhound Board Press Release on doping the IGB wish to show a 'move towards greater transparency' towards doping - despite enjoying continued sponsorship from the Dublin Dandelion Bar and Nightclub - owned by Pat Curtin.
