Racing: BBC screens doping claims

THE BBC television programme alleging widespread doping in racing has been brought forward by a week due to the controversy it has aroused. The On The Line episode 'Drug Runners' will now be screened on BBC2 tonight at 8.30pm.

The programme, which was still receiving its final touches yesterday and which has not been given a preview screening, will claim that 'alarming breaches of security at Britain's racecourses are allowing unscrupulous gangs to dope dozens of racehorses'.

It features a detailed account by a man who claims he has doped at least 20 horses in recent years. But in refusing to reveal the identity of the informant, the programme's makers have drawn the censure of the Jockey Club whose own investigations of dopings in recent years have failed to produce any prosecutions.

The programme's producer, Mike Parkinson, said: 'The recent rumour and speculation about the identity of our informants is shifting the emphasis away from the inadequate security at British racecourses. It appears from our research that anyone who wants to stop a horse from winning has a licence to dope. Only I know the identities of the people I have spoken to, and under no circumstances will I be revealing any names.'

But David Pipe, the Jockey Club's Director of Public Affairs, countered: 'If they know the identity of the doper I believe they have an absolute duty to pass this on to the police.

'Doping is a serious threat to the life of both horse and rider as well as cheating the racing public. It is disgraceful to withold this information.'

The programme names horses that have been the alleged victims of the drug gangs from 1990 and the unnamed fixer demonstrates how he can break into stable yards. Parkinson himself claims he walked unhindered into the stables at one track.

'Only at Doncaster, where there have been two proven cases of doping in recent years, was I restricted. To their credit the Doncaster officials made it clear that nobody gets near the racecourse stables,' he added.

The most commonly used stopping drug is acetylpromazine, which the informant claims only mildly affects a horse's performance without raising suspicion, making it look as though it has had an 'off day'.

The Jockey Club, which investigated many of the suspected dopings in 1990, hopes the BBC programme could resurrect its inquiry into the nobbling of Norwich, Bravefoot and Flying Diva.

David Pipe added: 'It could provide the bits and pieces needed to complete it. But we need the identity of the doper.'