BHA expands anti-doping programme to include gene doping tests

(c) Neil Wright | Dreamstime

 The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is stepping up its efforts to protect racehorse welfare and the integrity of British racing by adding gene doping detection to its regular anti-doping programme.

From now on, testing for signs of gene doping will be part of routine raceday and out-of-competition samples.

Gene doping involves using gene therapy techniques to artificially enhance a horse’s performance. This could mean altering a horse’s DNA or adding foreign genes to increase muscle, boost stamina, speed up recovery, or reduce fatigue and pain—none of which are allowed under the Rules of Racing.

 

Recognised as a growing threat to horse welfare, fair competition, and the future of the breed, gene doping is banned in racing worldwide.

 

To tackle this risk, the BHA has invested nearly £2 million in research at the LGC lab in Fordham. Since 2019, LGC has been working—alongside the Centre for Racehorse Studies and with support from the BHA—to develop reliable methods for detecting gene doping. These efforts have now paid off.

 

LGC’s lab has also gained official accreditation from the UK Accreditation Service, making it the first to launch this new generation of gene doping tests.

 

These tests will now become a regular part of the BHA’s broader anti-doping strategy, which includes random and targeted sampling to spot the misuse of drugs or methods that could give competitors an unfair edge or harm the horses.

 

In a press release, The BHA’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Brant Dunshea, said:

“Testing for gene doping is a significant step forward for British racing and reinforces our commitment to safeguarding the welfare of our horses, protecting the thoroughbred breed and integrity of our competition.

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