Permanent Ban on Anabolic Androgenic Steroids
Permanent Ban on Anabolic Androgenic Steroids to be introduced into the Greyhounds Australasia Rules
Warning to trainers – Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (AAS) usage in greyhounds
On 1 January 2016, Greyhounds Australasia will introduce Anabolic Androgenic Steroids to the list of Permanently Banned Prohibited Substances within GAR 79A (2) xx. as follows:
"Anabolic androgenic steroids excluding those that are defined as an exempted substance pursuant to GAR 1."
The relevant exempted substance listed within GAR 1 is as follows:
"Ethyloestrenol when administered orally to a greyhound bitch and where it has been prescribed by a veterinary surgeon for the sole purpose of regulating or preventing oestrus in that bitch."
Participants are advised that in accordance with GAR 79A they must never possess, acquire, attempt to acquire, administer or allow to be administered to any greyhound from birth until retirement, any anabolic androgenic steroid, excluding ethyloestrenol where it is appropriately prescribed for use as an oestrous suppressant in females.
"Anabolic androgenic steroids" include those that are currently registered in Australia by the APVMA such as boldenone, ethyloestrenol, methandriol, nandrolone, stanozolol and testosterone. Others include but are not limited to 1-androstenediol; 1-androstenedione; bolandiol; bolasterone; boldione; calusterone; clostebol; danazol; dehydrochlormethyltestosterone; desoxymethyltestosterone; drostanolone; fluoxymesterone; formebolone; furazabol; gestrinone; 4-hydroxytestosterone; mestanolone; mesterolone; metenolone; methandienone; methasterone; methyldienolone; methyl-1-testosterone; methylnortestosterone; methyltestosterone; metribolone; mibolerone; 19-norandrostenedione; norboletone; norclostebol; norethandrolone; oxabolone; oxandrolone; oxymesterone; oxymetholone; prostanozol; quinbolone; stenbolone; 1-testosterone; tetrahydrogestrinone (THG); trenbolone; and other substances with a similar chemical structure or similar biological effect(s).
For a current list of APVMA registered products that contain anabolic androgenic steroids visit: https://portal.apvma.gov.au/pubcris
Compliance with these rules will be enforced by state controlling bodies through all available means including regular kennel inspections, inspections of medications and treatment records, and regular out of competition testing, as well as through routine race day sampling.
As per GAR 79A (3) any greyhound that tests positive to any permanently banned prohibited substance shall be withdrawn from any Event in which it is nominated to compete and will be ineligible to be nominated for any further Event until a sample is subsequently taken that does not contain any of the substances specified in GAR 79A (2).
Interim enforcement of rule change until 1 July 2016
From 1 January 2016, controlling bodies will strictly enforce the rule changes relating to the possession of, acquiring of or attempting to acquire any Anabolic Androgenic Steroid. All participants are strongly encouraged to examine any medications in their possession and appropriately discard any Anabolic Androgenic Steroid listed above, as well as other medications that have expired or breach the rules of racing.
Out of Competition testing and hair testing for Anabolic Androgenic Steroids will be routinely enforced from 1 July 2016 to allow a safe wash out period of these substances. However, a ban on the administration of these substances will operate from 1 January 2016, and controlling bodies reserve the right to prosecute breaches of this rule if scientific evidence suggests the substances have been administered following 1 January 2016.
Controlling bodies will continue to conduct routine race day (urine/blood) sampling for Anabolic Androgenic Steroids with routine hair sampling to commence from 1 July 2016. For the avoidance of doubt, in the interim period controlling bodies reserve the right to conduct hair sampling for intelligence purposes or to confirm the administration of an Anabolic Androgenic Steroid detected in another sample type.
Under certain restricted conditions (e.g. change of trainer) agreed by an individual controlling body, it may offer elective testing for Anabolic Androgenic Steroids. Given the substances are permanently banned and should not be present this option will only exist for an interim period and follow the restrictions of the controlling body.
For further information please contact your state controlling body.