An Irish champion greyhound has tested positive for cocaine on three separate occasions, it emerged this week.
The Irish Independent reports that after winning the Irish Laurels at Curraheen Park in July, Clonbrien Hero returned a positive test for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine.
Urine samples were taken at Cork Greyhound Stadium on 24 June and on 1 and 22 July - and traces of the metabolite were found in all three tests.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Clonbrien Hero’s trainer, Graham Holland, denies any wrongdoing and said that the greyhound may have accidentally ingested minute amounts of the drug.
He told The Times: “We feel we are being victimised here for something we haven’t done. If you know you are going to be tested when you win a race, you are not going to administer cocaine to a greyhound.
“I’ve been training greyhounds for over 30 years and now I’m accused of doping them.
“You can pass traces of cocaine by handling money. When a dog wins a race, people are walking up to the dog and patting it on the head. If they have cocaine on their hands, they can pass that to the dog and it can come out in a urine sample.”
Clonbrien Hero’s £27,000 in prize money is being withheld and the dog has been banned from racing until it gives a clean test.
The Irish Greyhound Board (IGB), which carried out the drugs checks, said it does not comment on individual cases. In a statement published by The Sun, the IGB said: “The Irish Greyhound Board, as part of its robust testing regime, publishes any adverse findings as they arise.
“Adverse analytical findings are reported by IGB to the control committee pursuant to the Greyhound Industry [Racing] Regulations, with a request for the control committee to investigate the matter as provided for in legislation.
“IGB does not comment on individual cases which have been referred to the control committee and which may proceed to investigation. Decisions of the control committee may also be appealed.”
-
The NCAA is a 'billion-dollar sports behemoth' that 'should not be a nonprofit'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump picks conservative BLS critic to lead BLSspeed read He has nominated the Heritage Foundation's E.J. Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics
-
What's a pocket rescission and can Trump use one?The Explainer The White House may try to use an obscure and prohibited trick to halt more spending
-
Why Jannik Sinner's ban has divided the tennis worldIn the Spotlight The timing of the suspension handed down to the world's best male tennis player has been met with scepticism
-
Tour de France: a return to the glory days?A stellar line-up of contenders looks set to provide a vintage race
-
The 'Enhanced Games': a dangerous dosage?Talking Point A drug-fuelled Olympic-style competition is in the works but critics argue the risks are too high
-
Mason Greenwood: footballer arrested on suspicion of rape and assaultSpeed Read Man Utd confirm the striker will not train or play until further notice
-
Handball: swapping bikini bottoms for tight pantsSpeed Read Women competitors will be required to ‘wear short tight pants with a close fit’
-
Doping in sport: should cannabis be on the list of banned substances?feature World Anti-Doping Agency will launch a scientific review next year
-
Cristiano Ronaldo’s second comingSpeed Read Last week, Manchester United re-signed the forward on a two-year deal thought to be worth more than £400,000 a week
-
Bank holidays and boycotts: are MPs trying to jinx England?Speed Read Declaring a bank holiday would be ‘tempting fate’, says Boris Johnson
