Goldolphin's Sheikh Mohammad Bucking Up to Scandal With..Irony

It's a playground protocol that's in place, and whether the good Sheik thinks that we're so stupid as to accept that his decrees will plaster over the cracks, remains to be seen.

I'll predict that within 12 months there'll be another sacrificial trainer, thrown to the authorities! ;)

Alec.

ETS, what I'm finding rather galling, is the apparent gagging of CH4 Racing. If they are considered journalists, then the Sheik has managed something which is unique!
 
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Given that the Sheikh generously rewards success (brown paper envelopes), is is not reasonable to think that perhaps his staff could have been motivated to use steroids without his knowledge?
 
No idea where responsibility lies, but do think positive horses should be removed from past races like athletics.
As for endurance, its barely raised a ripple on the egb forum. There was endurance fei rides before sheik mo set up Euston, his tantrum will just send the competitors to the other rides. There is a healthy endurance life post Euston as well! He hasn't done any other UK rides in years, and they were always a mixed blessing when they did come. Huge air conditioned tents or ice making machines by vetting area didn't endear them to other competitors
Let him stamp his feet, no one is bigger than any world wide sport. He will find it very lonely racing against himself!
 
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the banning of steroids in dubai and uae could set a precedent, i think the sheikh should be applauded for taking the first step in what could become a world wide ban in the future, he has after all, horses in all of the major racing countries as far away as japan and aussieland.

whether he was aware or not, we may never know, but he seems to be NOW taking more action than the racing authorities to stamp out practices that influence the outcome of races, given that steroids are allowed in some countries not to mention other drugs.
 
tristar said:
the banning of steroids in dubai and uae could set a precedent, i think the sheikh should be applauded for taking the first step in what could become a world wide ban in the future, he has after all, horses in all of the major racing countries as far away as japan and aussieland.

whether he was aware or not, we may never know, but he seems to be NOW taking more action than the racing authorities to stamp out practices that influence the outcome of races, given that steroids are allowed in some countries not to mention other drugs.
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The sheikh should be applauded for banning what he has been allowing in his racing and endurance stables for eons?, has been himself suspended once by the FEI for using them and his trainers several times (against the rules in endurance racing) , and has now had many of his flat race horses in Britain found to be in violation of well known doping rules?
Oh yes, applaud.. :confused: You do realize that the sheikh, having stables around the world, is well aware of the rules in every country in which he has horses.

YOU have set the precedent in Britain. He violated it.
 
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but britain alone can't influence the world in the way that he can he has horses everywhere, its like a nasty boil that's burst and left the gunk on all of them, and the game is up, it takes people to make moves to change things, and he is at the top, and that's where leadership and example should be coming from.

lasix might be on the agenda in the future? all performance enhancing drugs are creating a false picture.

i think they should all be banned
 
So far the sheikh has made steroids illegal in the UAE. Where his endurance stables are frequent violators of the FEI rules against the drug.

Australia , Japan the U.S. and many other countries are not going to be led by the Sheikh, especially considering his record with FEI suspensions. He doesn't have as much influence (at least in the U.S.) as he seems to in Britain.

I agree that Lasix should be banned as well. There has been an effort to do so in the U.S. but there seems to be strong opposition to banning it. It may be possible to ban them, but it will take time.
 
I just feel sad about how this has tainted endurance. I did a few personalized it,felt it was the . Ultimate expression of a bond between a keen rider and a willing and, loved equine partner. Sadly how it has changed. I commented on face book picture which I think the poster has since removed. Picture was of a grey Arab horse crashing to the ground on the road at Windsor ride at high speed.glib comment from from arabic rider "what hurts you makes you stronger" followed by sycophantic burbling Burbling from his face book friends about how he was how he felt etc. Not a blinking thing about the poor horse. Seriously depressed me.
 
hackedoff said:
I just feel sad about how this has tainted endurance. I did a few personalized it,felt it was the . Ultimate expression of a bond between a keen rider and a willing and, loved equine partner. Sadly how it has changed. I commented on face book picture which I think the poster has since removed. Picture was of a grey Arab horse crashing to the ground on the road at Windsor ride at high speed.glib comment from from arabic rider "what hurts you makes you stronger" followed by sycophantic burbling Burbling from his face book friends about how he was how he felt etc. Not a blinking thing about the poor horse. Seriously depressed me.
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Don't feel sad. Endurance racing is not tainted. If you take away the doping suspensions of the middle eastern nations , endurance has a cleaner record than does show jumping.

http://www.horsesport.org/fei/your-role/athletes/fei-tribunal/ead-decisions
 
hackedoff said:
Seriously? it's better than something that's tainted How resurring
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I'm sorry. :( I thought perhaps you would feel better, knowing that your sport is considered very "clean" among the majority of equestrians. For some reason the middle eastern countries' doping record in endurance competition is horrendous.
Most everyone else in your sport seems to care very much for their horses.

I don't consider your sport tainted. I think that, unfortunately, you now have some cheaters. Egotistical, "win at all costs" participants from a certain geographical area. The endurance community is screaming bloody murder about it to the FEI.

The fact that the president of the FEI is the wife of one of the offenders, will keep peoples' attention on the situation. It can't be swept under the rug.
 
The first thing that I think of when I see "Shock, Horror - Doping Scandal" is - is it like Savil? Or is there REAL evidence.

There's not much doubt that drugs have been found - but as the analytical machines have become so incredibly sensitive these days - I'd like to know exactly how much drug was found, on how many occassions etc., etc., because this would sort out to some extent - the deliberate regular adminstration of improving substances from the odd Mars bar that seem to amazingly crop up in some horses diets!

That said, I reckon doping has been going on forever! And in every sport where someone wants an edge - there was once a cartoon depicting Olympic athletes in the opening ceremony - instead of country flags - they all marched behind chemical company logos - it wasn't far from the truth.

The only thing that stops it - is the fear of being found out - and suitable punishment after.
 
Having recently been to a lecture by the gentleman who performs the dope testing in the UK, I learnt that they are looking for amounts that would alter the horses performance, not just tiny traces. All the cases talked about in endurance come from the results of the FEI tribunal, and are proven, sanctioned cases.
 
flyingfeet said:
Given that the Sheikh generously rewards success (brown paper envelopes), is is not reasonable to think that perhaps his staff could have been motivated to use steroids without his knowledge?
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I think it would be extremely tempting.He is a very generous employer,and obviously more success may well equal a fat brown envelope.
 
EAST KENT said:
I think it would be extremely tempting.He is a very generous employer,and obviously more success may well equal a fat brown envelope.
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I think that's the nub of the problem. Whilst he may not give the order to cheat/dope, the incentives are such that success is so sort after his staff will resort to these measures to keep their jobs or get a bonus.

GB endurance is not tainted. How many positive tests have their been in British competitors? I can only remember 2 incidents in 15 years, a young rider who was competing in the middle east on an arab studs horse (so had never even met the horse before the race), but was held respobsible as she was the rider, second where the gb rider was cleared as test was due to contamination (wasn't steroid). There is random testing in the uk, not just FEI but from novice level graded rides up. You don't know where they will be (you get to the ride & see the tent), & if you are competing there you don't know who will be tested. Look through the records, you don't get positive tests. GB endurance is a very clean sport, as clean as any, not just SJ.

It's like the high incidence of stress fractures, they just don't happen in the uk. The 'problems' in endurance are restricted to a small number of countries in a certain part of the world. It's not the sport that needs to be cleaned up, it is certain countries. Until the brown envelopes disappear, & the pressure for success is more realistic (as we know, horses producing world medal winning results year after year is not realistic, everyone has bad years), the employees will continue to cheat as that is how they produce the success craved by their boss.
 
The bit I dont understand about all this is doesnt steroids effect fertility. Surely thats essential in these horses, especially the racehorse colts than are worth more as studs than racehorses
 
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