Disgraced Al Zarooni banned by BHA for eight years

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford spoke of “a terrible day for British racing” after trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni was disqualified for eight years after admitting administering anabolic steroids to horses in his care.
By The Newsroom
Published 26th Apr 2013, 09:30 BST

Al Zarooni said he had made a “catastrophic error” in using the banned drugs on a number of runners in his yard, including former Qipco 1000 Guineas favourite Certify.

Al Zarooni was called before the British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel at a hastily-arranged hearing yesterday afternoon after 11 horses returned positive samples for ethylestranol and stanozolol following a random testing at his Newmarket yard earlier this month.

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Further admissions were made by Al Zarooni to the BHA this week surrounding four other horses that had not been tested.

The case, widely regarded to be the most serious doping scandal in recent British racing history, had already caused Godolphin principal Sheikh Mohammed to lock down Al Zarooni’s stables, saying he was “appalled and angered” by events.

Al Zarooni, 37, was officially charged with rule breaches related to prohibited substances, duty to keep medication records and conduct prejudicial to racing.

Earlier in the day, the fifteen horses were banned from running for six months from April 9.

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Crisford said: “This is a terrible situation. It’s an awful situation that Godolphin has found themselves in.

“Mr Al Zarooni acted with awful recklessness and caused tremendous damage, not only to Godolphin and British racing.

“I think it will take a very long time for Godolphin to regain the trust of the British public.

“We’re shocked and completely outraged by the actions he has taken.”

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Al Zarooni issued a statement that read: “I would like to apologise to Sheikh Mohammed, as well as to all those involved with Godolphin and the public who follow British racing.

“I accept that it was my responsibility to be aware of the rules regarding the use of prohibited substances in Britain.

“I can only apologise and repeat what I said in my statement earlier in the week, I have made a catastrophic error.”

BHA chief executive Paul Bittar said he believed the punishment would reassure the public and the racing industry that the use of performance-enhancing drugs would not be tolerated.