International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) Chairman Louis Romanet announced Aug. 9 that, following the approval of the IFHA’s Executive Council, five analytical laboratories have each been appointed as “IFHA Reference Laboratories.”

The reference laboratories include:

• Australia—Racing Analytical Services Limited;
• France—Laboratoire Des Courses Hippiques;
• Great Britain—LGC Group, Sport & Specialised Analytical Services;
• Hong Kong—Hong Kong Jockey Club Racing Laboratory; and
• United States—Kenneth L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at the University of California, Davis.

As part of the application process, the five labs successfully satisfied criteria including, but not limited to, the scale of operations, resourcing, research activity, and capability to detect the use of prohibited substances, including the major doping agents.

“The integrity of horseracing is the chief matter for all racing authorities all over the world, and clearly of most significance to the IFHA,” Romanet said, “The primary funding mechanism for our sport is betting, further growth and development can only take place if punters and spectators perceive racing as being totally clean. In addition, the commercial decisions made by breeders, owners, trainers, and other stakeholders are completely reliant on the results of fair competition. Racing bodies everywhere should be aiming for the strictest doping controls which include bringing our analytical laboratories to their highest standards possible, and implementing them for the most important horse races around the globe