Continuing Education Regarding the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’s Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program

Since the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) was named by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) to serve as the independent enforcement agency for HISA’s Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program, we have been appreciative of the Thoroughbred industry’s willingness to work with us to help make the ADMC Program a success upon implementation.

As you are likely aware, the ADMC Program had previously been set to go into effect on January 1, 2023, but due to the legal uncertainty at the time, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rejected the ADMC rules, and implementation was therefore delayed.

Last month, Congress passed an amendment to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020 (Act) modifying the language that the Fifth Circuit identified as rendering the Act unconstitutional. Following the passage of that amendment, HISA resubmitted its ADMC Program Rules to the FTC for approval, and we anticipate that the FTC will post the Rules to the Federal Register in the coming weeks. Once the Rules are posted, there will be another public comment period, and following that comment period, the FTC will have 60 days to approve or deny them. Based on this timeline, we are optimistic that HISA’s ADMC Program will go into effect in mid-March 2023. HIWU will continue to keep racing participants and other stakeholders up to date on the official timing for implementation of the program.

Unless and until the ADMC Rules are approved and an exact implementation date is determined, states will continue to operate under their current rules and regulations. However, the coming months leading up to the likely implementation of HISA’s ADMC Program offer a great opportunity to provide stakeholders with additional time to understand the components of the Program and get their questions answered. To this end, we will continue to hold meetings with and distribute resources to industry members. This engagement is not intended to confuse anyone as there is no question that state anti-doping and medication regulations remain in effect for now. It is simply to give interested industry participants access to education and resources to facilitate a smooth transition if and when the HISA ADMC Program comes into effect.

HISA’s ADMC Program will create uniformity, promote integrity, and enhance equine welfare in Thoroughbred racing nationwide. For this game-changing program to be effective, all constituents must be informed and prepared. We are committed to this goal in advance of the implementation date and beyond.

The HIWU team welcomes questions regarding the ADMC Program, and we encourage you to reach out to us at info@hiwu.org or (816) 285-1425. Stakeholders can also find a growing library of educational materials at hiwu.org. With your support, we will administer a world-class anti-doping program for Thoroughbred racing.