The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), for many years a strong proponent of federal legislation to bring the sport under a single governing body, announced in a press release Thursday morning that they were unable to reach an agreement to become the enforcement agency. for the Horseracing Safety and Integrity Authority, a broad nonprofit organization established by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act.
“After months of negotiations, we have been unable to come to an agreement consistent with the requirements of the Act, and an agreement that would give us a reasonable opportunity to put in place a credible and effective program.” fruit. While we are clearly saddened by the results at this stage, we have tried our best to find our way forward without success,” Travis Tygart, USADA CEO, wrote in a statement. dad.
In a separate statement on Thursday, the Agency confirmed the news. “As required by the Safety and Integrity Act of 2020, USADA and HISA engaged in good faith negotiations but were unable to reach final terms,” the agency wrote.
With the statute expected to go into effect on July 1, 2022 – provided it persists with legal challenges in the interim – this announcement upsets a key component of the law. HISA.
That’s because, with just six months to go, the million-dollar question now is: Which entity or organization will be responsible for overseeing the lab’s accreditation, drug testing, and enforcement program HISA?
The law provides that if USADA is not a contractual enforcement agency, the Agency must enter into an agreement “with a nationally recognized organization as a similarly qualified drug regulatory agency” with USADA. .
In Thursday’s statement, the Agency wrote that it was “evaluating options for engaging with other leading independent enforcement agencies.”
Furthermore, there will be a temporary delay in submitting the draft Anti-Doping and Drug Control rules to the FTC until a “new independent agency” is identified and the agreement is finalized.
“This will allow HISA and another independent enforcement agency to reach an agreement and build on the progress made so far with USADA. HISA anticipates this process will enable full implementation of the ADMC final rules by early 2023.”
According to the Authority, draft Track Safety regulations submitted to the FTC earlier this month will be implemented by July 1 next year, following a period of public comment and review. necessary education.
For many people, this message will appear as a flash out of blue.
Indeed, more than two weeks ago at the latest Circuit Industry Symposium in Tucson, Charles Scheeler, president of the Authority, revealed a major development for the mechanics of the test program’s workings. HISA drugs.
According to Scheeler, each state will continue to conduct testing on race day and collect samples on July 1 next year. At the same time, USADA will administer the out-of-competition (OOC) testing program.
However, when the 2023 season begins, USADA is expected to take charge of both the race day test and the OOC. That arrangement is now clearly defunct.
“While we desperately try to reach an agreement to run the program without jeopardizing our values, we have always said that passing legislation and finalizing coherent rules These are huge wins for horses and the equine industry,” Tygart wrote, in a statement Thursday.
“We are honored to be involved in these efforts to restore the integrity of thoroughbred horse racing. While we are uncertain what the future holds for USADA – if any – in this effort, we have offered to assist the Regulatory Authority and others in the industry to ensure that the sport gets the program needed and the horses deserved,” added Tygart.
In a statement on Thursday, Scheeler said, “We are deeply grateful for USADA’s hard work, expertise, and leadership in working with HISA’s Drug and Anti-Doping Committee to develop the new rules. comprehensive draft in a remarkably short period of time.”
