Global Symposium on Racing to Host Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority and Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit
Representatives from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) will be on hand to engage with leaders in the horse racing industry when the 48th Annual Global Symposium on Racing convenes December 5-7, 2022, in Tucson, Arizona.
Held at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, the Symposium agenda features a presentation on HISA’s 2023 outlook from HISA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Lazarus on Tuesday, December 6, as well as a panel discussion with members of HISA’s and HIWU’s teams on Wednesday, December 7, to discuss HISA’s Racetrack Safety Program and Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program. In May, HISA announced that it had contracted Drug Free Sport International to establish an independent enforcement agency for the ADMC Program, which resulted in the development of HIWU.
During Wednesday’s session, HISA’s panelists will describe successes and challenges thus far in the implementation of the Racetrack Safety Program, which went into effect July 1, while HIWU’s panelists will provide an update on their preparations for the AMDC Program and share what industry stakeholders need to know ahead of the rollout on January 1, 2023.
The panel will be composed of Ann McGovern, director of racetrack safety, HISA; Kate Mittelstadt, chief of operations, HIWU; Ben Mosier, executive director, HIWU; Dr. Mary Scollay, chief of science, HIWU; and Dr. Susan Stover, chair, Racetrack Safety Standing Committee, HISA.
In addition to securing two places in the formal schedule, the HISA and HIWU teams will be available for the duration of the Symposium to answer questions from attendees. Their presence in Tucson supplements the virtual and in-person meetings that both groups have been conducting with industry stakeholders across the country.
“The University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program (RTIP) is proud of the Symposium’s long record of educating our audience on the latest developments in racing, pari-mutuel wagering, and regulation, and HISA represents a critical milestone in the industry,” said Robert Hartman, chair of the RTIP. “Our program this year enables Symposium attendees to directly engage with those who have been tasked with enforcing uniform racetrack safety and ADMC protocols in Thoroughbred racing across the country.”
Registration information for Symposium, as well as the full agenda, can be found at racingsymposium.com. A discounted room rate at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort is available for Symposium attendees by visiting the Symposium website or calling (877) 879-9979 and asking for the Global Symposium on Racing rate.
About the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit
The Horseracing Integrity & 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, which will be effective as of January 1, 2023, 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.
About the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority
HISA was established when the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act was signed into federal law in 2020 by President Trump and is responsible for drafting and enforcing uniform safety rules and anti-doping and medication control rules in Thoroughbred racing in the U.S. Overseen by the Federal Trade Commission, 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 composed of two programs: the Racetrack Safety Program, which went into effect on July 1, 2022; and the ADMC Program, which goes into effect January 1, 2023.
About the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program and Global Symposium on Racing
The Race Track Industry Program (RTIP) has gained worldwide recognition for its annual Global Symposium on Racing held in Tucson, Arizona, each December since 1974. The Symposium attracts attendees representing Thoroughbred, Standardbred, American Quarter Horse, and racino interests from across the United States and internationally. Topics presented during the Symposium include cutting-edge issues and trends of importance to the pari-mutuel industry including simulcasting, account wagering, marketing, track surfaces, casino gaming, human and health issues, track operations, new technologies, and regulation.
Symposium speakers and panel sessions represent the “who's who” of the racing and gaming industries as well as specialists from outside the field. The broad cross-section of North American and international participants, representing all pari-mutuel racing breeds, makes the Global Symposium on Racing the largest industry-wide conference in the world. RTIP students play an important role at each year's Symposium and are afforded a unique opportunity to meet and interact with many of the industry's best known and respected leaders. Few other educational programs provide this kind of access and networking with the industry that employs its students. Keep up to date on the latest event news via Facebook and Twitter using #RacingSymposium or visit our website for more details.
About Drug Free Sport International
Drug Free Sport International is a worldwide leader in the sport drug testing industry. Drug Free Sport International administers comprehensive drug testing programs, manages national and international collections, develops drug testing policies, and provides educational services to a wide range of professional and amateur athletics organizations around the world. Its highly educated, experienced, and diverse staff is committed to quality, technical innovation, and maintaining the most extensive network of highly trained and certified sport drug testing collectors in the industry.
Contact:
Alexa Ravit, Communications & Outreach Director
(816) 516-9572
aravit@hiwu.org