Racing officials can now test for argon

Wednesday 1 April 2015, 6:01pm

Trainers have been put on notice that tests are now available for the prohibited substances xenon and argon gas in horses.

The two gases, banned by WADA last year, are categorised as erythropoiesis (EPO) stimulating agents and also hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1 stabilisers.

On Monday, the Australian Racing Board added the Institute of Biochemistry at the German Sport University in Cologne to its list of official racing laboratories.

The German lab has been at the forefront of the development of a test.

Racing NSW stewards also advised trainers that stored samples held by the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory, may be re-submitted for testing.

WADA added xenon and argon gas to its list of prohibited substances last year.

Xenon gas, which is inhaled, has various official uses including anaesthesia. It is also used as a satellite propellant and in movie projector bulbs.

WADA banned the gases after reports Russian athletes at the Sochi winter Olympics used them to mimic altitude training.

The list of prohibited substances in Australian racing includes another EPO-inducing drug, cobalt chloride, which is at the centre of several ongoing cases.

– AAP

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