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The Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) was established in 2022 by Drug Free Sport International (DFSI) to administer the rules and enforcement 
mechanisms of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’s (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program.

Overview of HISA's Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program

HISA Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program Atypical Findings Policy

Retirement & Unretirement of Covered Horses

HISA ADMC Rules

Controlled Substances

Banned Substances

Education & Resources

(New York, NY and Charlotte, NC)- The Horseracing Integrity &amp; Welfare Unit announced today the launch of its anonymous whistleblower platforms that enable participants in the Thoroughbred industry to submit tips safely and anonymously regarding potential violations of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’s (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program. The text and email platforms are supported through a partnership with RealResponse, the leading provider of safe and secure reporting platform for athletes, teams, and organizations, while the telephone platform is supported by Ansafone. &nbsp;Using the designated telephone line, text line, or email address, any industry participant can anonymously submit information relating to Covered Horses, barns, trainers, or other Covered Persons for review by HIWU’s Investigations Unit. Submissions are accepted 24/7. Whistleblowers can include their contact information if they are open to potential follow up from HIWU’s investigators. However, this option is voluntary.“Our anonymous whistleblower platforms will empower concerned individuals to safely and securely alert HIWU to potential violations of the AMDC Program, including situations where the welfare of the horse or integrity of the sport may be compromised,” said Michelle Pujals, HIWU’s general counsel. “We look forward to working with RealResponse, which has a proven track record in administering this type of technology, to facilitate the success of this key component of the ADMC Program.”"We are honored to work with the leadership of the Horseracing Integrity &amp; Welfare Unit,” said David Chadwick, RealResponse Founder and CEO. “We have seen significant interest from leading integrity agencies who seek a more efficient and effective platform to enhance their investigative process. Working with HIWU as it launches platforms to protect against efforts that compromise the integrity of horse racing, as well as to protect the wellbeing of the equine athletes, is important to us. Our service makes it simple and easy for those in the field to report concerning incidents they witness to ensure fairness and safety across the industry.”Individuals who would like to submit tips should utilize the following contact options:Phone Line: (888) 714-4498 Text Line: (855) 901-8477 Email Address: <a href="mailto:hiwutips@hiwu.realresponse.com">hiwutips@hiwu.realresponse.com</a>Industry participants should note that the HIWU Investigations Unit can only consider tips regarding the ADMC Program and will not respond to potential violations of HISA’s Racetrack Safety Program or other violations or inquiries that fall outside the jurisdiction of the ADMC Program. Potential violations of the Racetrack Safety Program will be forwarded to HISA.Those with information regarding potential violations of HISA’s Racetrack Safety Program should call (877) 513-2919 or email feedback@hisaus.org. Submissions will be treated anonymously.About RealResponseFounded in 2015, RealResponse is a partner to more than 125 colleges and universities, as well as 12 NFL teams, including the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs, the NFLPA, Major League Baseball, NASCAR, USADA, the NWSL, the Premier Hockey Federation and many others. A growing number of national governing bodies including US Soccer, USA Track and Field, USA Swimming, and USA Gymnastics, also rely on RealResponse, allowing more than one million athletes and staff the ability to anonymously share feedback and concerns in a safe and secure manner. RealResponse is an online platform that allows for real-time reporting, surveys, and as a document repository. Organizations can also benchmark metrics to peer and national averages to identify areas of competitive advantage and vulnerability. Additional partnerships with international organizations, colleges and professional sports properties are expected in 2023. In 2021, RealResponse was recognized by the Charlotte Business Journal as one of the “Fifty Most Innovative Companies in the Region.” For more information about RealResponse, visit <a href="www.realresponse.com">realresponse.com</a>.About the Horseracing Integrity &amp; Welfare UnitThe Horseracing Integrity &amp; Welfare Unit (HIWU) was established in 2022 by Drug Free Sport International to administer the rules and enforcement mechanisms of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’s (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program. The ADMC Program establishes a centralized testing and results management process that applies uniform penalties for violations efficiently and consistently across all American Thoroughbred racing jurisdictions that HISA governs. HIWU oversees testing, educating stakeholders on the program, laboratory accreditation, investigation of potential violations, and prosecution of any such violations. For more information, please visit <a href="www.hiwu.org">hiwu.org</a>. &nbsp;Contact: Alexa Ravit, Director of Communications &amp; Outreach &nbsp; (816) 516-9572 &nbsp; <a href="mailto:aravit@hiwu.org">aravit@hiwu.org</a> &nbsp;

Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit Launches Anonymous Whistleblower Platforms; Whistleblower Service is Operating in Partnership with RealResponse

Ahead of the anticipated implementation of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’s (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program (ADMC) on March 27, 2023, HISA and the Horseracing Integrity &amp; Welfare Unit (HIWU) remind stakeholders of key changes to expect nationwide. These changes will go into effect immediately pending approval of the Program regulations by the Federal Trade Commission.HISA also calls attention to enforcement updates regarding the Racetrack Safety Program that will take effect March 27. The Racetrack Safety Program launched July 1, 2022.ADMC PROGRAM<ul><li>All Covered Horses are subject to the&nbsp;<a href="https://hisaus.org/regulations">ADMC Program regulations</a>, which includes adherence to the Prohibited List of&nbsp;<a href="https://bphisaweb.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/HISA_BannedProhibitedList_Report_030223a.pdf">Banned</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://bphisaweb.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/HISA_ControlledProhibitedList_Report_3.02.23.pdf">Controlled</a> Substances/Methods. Banned Substances are prohibited from being used, possessed, administered, or trafficked in relation to a Covered Horse at any time. Controlled Medication Substances are permitted for use or administration in a Covered Horse, except in close proximity to a race or Vets’ List workout. As specified in the Prohibited List, certain Controlled Medication Substances, corticosteroids, NSAIDs, analgesics, and local anesthetics are regulated in samples collected following routine official timed workouts.</li><li>Lasix will be permitted in all races, except for 2-year-old races and stakes races. Lasix will also be permitted, regardless of age or class of competition, during training, including Vets’ List works.</li><li>All test selection will be overseen by HIWU using an intelligence-based strategy. While HIWU has the ultimate discretion to select Covered Horses for testing, intelligence from “boots-on-the-ground” industry participants, including state stewards and veterinarians, and continued cooperation with state racing commissions and laboratory/scientific partners will also inform the test selection process.</li><li>All sample collection personnel, including test barn staff, will have been trained by HIWU staff on ADMC Program-compliant procedures.&nbsp;Sample collection processes will be facilitated by a HIWU app that will serve as a paperless documentation system. The app will be prepopulated with relevant race-day and Covered Horse information from InCompass and the HISA portal.</li><li>National whistleblower platforms will launch on the date of implementation. HIWU has partnered with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.realresponse.com/">RealResponse</a>, the leading provider of safe and secure reporting platform for athletes, teams, and organizations. Through telephone, text message, or email,&nbsp;individuals will be able to safely and anonymously provide any information relating to potential ADMC Rule violations, including names of Covered Horses, trainers, owners, or test barns. Individuals will have the option to voluntarily provide their contact information so that the HIWU investigations team can follow up, if needed. The whistleblower phone numbers, text message information, and email address will be published upon launch of the ADMC Program.</li><li>All labs utilized under the ADMC Program are accredited by the Racing Medication &amp; Testing Consortium, pending the implementation of the HISA Equine Analytical Laboratory accreditation, and will be held to the same performance specifications.</li><li>All laboratory results for samples collected under the ADMC Program will be reported to, and processed by, HIWU. The standard turnaround time for receiving Post-Race test results will be 10 business days after laboratory receipt of samples, and the standard turnaround for Vets’ List clearance testing will be five business days after laboratory receipt of samples.</li><li>HIWU will be responsible for distributing notices of Adverse Analytical Findings (i.e., positive test results) to Responsible Persons (trainers) under the ADMC Program and filing charges of ADMC Program violations against Responsible Persons.</li><li>Anti-Doping Rule Violations will be heard by members of the Arbitral Body, which is administered by JAMS, an independent third party. Controlled Medication Rule Violations will be heard by the Internal Adjudication Panel, whose members are selected by HISA and HIWU.</li></ul>RACETRACK SAFETY PROGRAM ENFORCEMENT UPDATESAs of March 27, 2023, all horsemen – including all trainers and jockeys – must be registered with HISA and in compliance with HISA’s registration and racetrack safety requirements in order to race. Any individual who is not registered or compliant with HISA’s regulations will be subject to enforcement action and will not be able to race. Horsemen must complete three key actions to be able to race:<ul><li>Register with HISA at&nbsp;<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.hisaus.org/registration__;!!KZXpRQ!SPSM7BCGI-WVAaBOkcuLL7N8FdTyZ4LeF5esRs0veVMuw1oDD6qfG40vhc_sVO5z8-_4nY0YYf1WBeHAYs8kHQ$">hisaus.org/registration</a>.</li><li>Pay any unpaid fines in the&nbsp;<a href="https://portal.hisausapps.org/login">HISA portal</a>.</li><li>Enter the dates of their latest physical and concussion baseline exams into the &nbsp;<a href="https://portal.hisausapps.org/login">HISA Portal</a>. These exams must have taken place within the last 12 months. This requirement applies only to jockeys.</li></ul>If horsemen are told they are unable to race due to non-compliance with HISA’s rules, and they believe that to be incorrect or a mistake, they should reach out immediately to the race day support line at 1-866-404-4472 and be prepared to provide their name and HISA ID number to resolve the issue.About the Horseracing Integrity and Safety AuthorityEstablished when the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act was signed into federal law in 2020, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) is responsible for drafting and enforcing uniform safety and integrity rules in Thoroughbred racing in the U.S. Overseen by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HISA was created to implement, for the first time, a national, uniform set of rules applicable to every Thoroughbred racing participant and racetrack facility. HISA is comprised of two programs: the Racetrack Safety Program, which went into effect July 1, 2022, and the Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program, which is anticipated to go into effect on March 27, 2023.The Racetrack Safety Program includes operational safety rules and national racetrack accreditation standards that seek to enhance equine welfare and minimize equine and jockey injury. The Program expands veterinary oversight, imposes surface maintenance and testing requirements, enhances jockey safety, regulates riding crop use, and implements voided claim rules, among other important measures.The ADMC Program will create a centralized testing and results management process and apply uniform penalties for violations efficiently and consistently across the United States. These rules and enforcement mechanisms will be administered by a new independent agency, the Welfare Unit (HIWU), established by Drug Free Sport International (DFS). HIWU will oversee testing, educate stakeholders on the new program, accredit laboratories, investigate potential ADMC violations and prosecute any such violations.About the Horseracing Integrity &amp; Welfare UnitThe Horseracing Integrity &amp; Welfare Unit (HIWU) was established in 2022 by Drug Free Sport International to administer the rules and enforcement mechanisms of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’s (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program. The ADMC Program will create a centralized testing and results management process and apply uniform penalties for violations efficiently and consistently across all American Thoroughbred racing jurisdictions that HISA governs. HIWU will oversee testing, educate stakeholders on the new program, accredit laboratories, investigate potential violations, and prosecute any such violations. For more information, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hiwu.org/">hiwu.org</a>. Contact: Alexa Ravit, Director of Communications &amp; Outreach &nbsp; (816) 516-9572  aravit@hiwu.org  &nbsp;&nbsp;

HISA and HIWU Highlight “Day One” Changes on Eve of Expected Implementation of Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program

The Horseracing Integrity &amp; Welfare Unit (HIWU), the independent enforcement agency of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’s (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program, has reached arrangements with all state racing commissions and/or racetracks that will be conducting live racing on or soon after the implementation of the ADMC Program, which is anticipated to be March 27, 2023. The laboratories that will be conducting testing under the Program have also been confirmed.“HIWU appreciates the opportunity to engage with state racing commissions, racetracks, and laboratories in the implementation of a national, uniform ADMC program,” said Ben Mosier, executive director of HIWU. “We are confident that all our arrangements will facilitate uniform compliance with the ADMC Program to ensure its consistency and effectiveness.”Once the ADMC Program takes effect, the following states and/or racetracks will continue to provide sample collection personnel services by utilizing their current staff, who will have been trained and certified by HIWU. Voluntary agreements have either been signed or will be signed before the first day of racing under the new ADMC Rules with the following entities:• Arkansas Racing Commission • California Horse Racing Board • Florida Gaming Control Commission, in cooperation with Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs • Kentucky Horse Racing Commission • Maryland Racing Commission • New York Racing Association (except Post-Race testing) • Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission • Will Rogers DownsFor the following states and/or racetracks, HIWU has either contracted directly with existing personnel or has hired its own sample collection personnel to implement the ADMC Program. There is therefore no signed voluntary agreement with the following entities:• Arizona Department of Gaming (Division of Racing) • Finger Lakes • Illinois Racing Board • New York Gaming Commission (Post-Race testing only) • Ohio State Racing CommissionHIWU is also engaging with state racing commissions and racetracks that are racing after mid-April and will announce those relationships prior to such time.Laboratories must be accredited by the Racing Medication &amp; Testing Consortium to be eligible to conduct testing as part of HISA’s ADMC Program, and must meet additional criteria determined by HIWU. HIWU has entered into contracts with the following laboratories to analyze samples collected under the ADMC Program:- Analytical Toxicology Laboratory (Ohio Department of Agriculture) - Animal Forensic Toxicology Laboratory (University of Illinois-Chicago) - Industrial Laboratories - Kenneth L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (University of California, Davis) - Pennsylvania Equine Toxicology and Research Laboratory - University of Kentucky Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory“For the first time, racing’s labs will be harmonized and held to the same performance standards nationwide,” said Mosier. “Thoroughbred racehorses will be tested for the same substances at the same levels, regardless of where they are located or compete.”Lab accreditation will eventually transition to the HISA Equine Analytical Laboratory standards, which will not take effect before 2024.The Horseracing Integrity &amp; Welfare Unit (HIWU) was established in 2022 by Drug Free Sport International to administer the rules and enforcement mechanisms of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’s (HISA) Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program. The ADMC Program will create a centralized testing and results management process and apply uniform penalties for violations efficiently and consistently across all American Thoroughbred racing jurisdictions that HISA governs. HIWU will oversee testing, educate stakeholders on the new program, accredit laboratories, investigate potential violations, and prosecute any such violations. For more information, please visit hiwu.org. &nbsp;Contact: Alexa Ravit, Director of Communications &amp; Outreach &nbsp; (816) 516-9572  aravit@hiwu.org  &nbsp;

HIWU Set to Administer HISA Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program in Cooperation with State Racing Commissions, Racetracks, and Laboratories

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