Whitfield Spearheads Fight to Eliminate Drugs in Horseracing | News | Congressman Ed Whitfield

News | Congressman Ed Whitfield | United States Representative

Whitfield Spearheads Fight to Eliminate Drugs in Horseracing February 27, 2008 Whitfield Spearheads Fight to Eliminate Drugs in Horseracing WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield is leading the fight in Washington to get performance enhancing drugs out of the horseracing world. The Congressman helped lead a congressional hearing today examining the rampant spread of drugs plaguing sports in the United States and shined a light on the ever-growing drug problems facing the horseracing industry.

"Throughout the world, the United States is viewed as a place where racing is about drugs," Whitfield said. "As many people in the industry say, 'It is no longer that my horse is better than yours, it's my vet is better than yours.' "

The House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection held a hearing today entitled "Drugs in Sports: Compromising the Health of Athletes and Undermining the Integrity of Competition." Whitfield, who is Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, and Chairman Bobby Rush (D-IL) questioned more than a dozen representatives from the sports world.

Whitfield directed the discussion on horseracing and sought answers about the use of performance-enhancing drugs in the sport from National Thoroughbred Racing Association Chief Executive Officer Alexander M. Waldrop. Whitfield noted that Congress first examined the use of drugs in horseracing 27 years ago. Yet today, horseracing is the only professional sport that does not ban the use of steroids and the general thought is that drug use in horseracing is perhaps the worst it has ever been.

"Steroids are dangerous and they contribute to clotting disorders, liver damage, heart attacks, strokes and weakened tendons," Whitfield said. "In horseracing they also contribute to breakdowns on the tracks - endangering the lives of jockeys, exercise riders and the horses themselves."

Furthermore, Whitfield said the use of steroids in horseracing severely endangers the integrity of the sport and the multi-billion dollar industry it supports. Whitfield is calling on industry leaders to enact more stringent drug-testing procedures and a national ban on performance-enhancing drugs for at least the days leading up to races.

Also, participating in today's hearings were the Commissioners and Players Association Executive Directors of Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, and the National Hockey League. The heads of the U.S. Olympic Committee, the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), the National Federation of State High School Associations, and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency were also on hand today to field questions from Members of Congress.

Whitfield questioned a number of the leaders on their efforts to stop the use of drugs in their respective sports. He heard testimony on the industries' drug-testing policies and the steps they have taken to preserve the future integrity of American sports.

"Performance enhancing drugs threaten not only the health of our athletes, but the very integrity of all sports," Whitfield said. "I believe strongly that athletes need to succeed on their own abilities, not by cheating the game, the fans or themselves."

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