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Horse racing-British authority to test for gene doping
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 25, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 24, 2026
Global Banking & Finance Review®
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Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 25, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 24, 2026
The British Horseracing Authority will test racehorses for gene doping to enhance welfare and integrity, despite no current evidence of its use.
LONDON (Reuters) - Racehorses in Britain will be tested for gene doping after the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) spent nearly two million pounds ($2.59 million) on research to improve detection, it said on Tuesday.
The BHA said testing will now become part of regular race day and out-of-competition sampling processes with immediate effect.
"Testing for gene doping is a significant step forward for British racing and reinforces our commitment to safeguarding the welfare of our horses," said BHA acting chief executive Brant Dunshea in a statement.
It said there was no evidence to suggest genetic manipulation was taking place in Britain or any other international racing jurisdictions.
"However, scientific and technological advancements mean that genetic manipulation poses a very real risk to horseracing and the essence of the thoroughbred breed," it added.
Gene doping involves genetic or cellular manipulation of the horse’s DNA to enhance athletic performance or aid recovery after exercise.
It can be done by gene editing techniques or the addition of genetic material by gene transfer.
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(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Christian Radnedge)
The article discusses the British Horseracing Authority's new initiative to test racehorses for gene doping to ensure their welfare and integrity.
Gene doping poses a risk to horseracing by potentially enhancing performance unfairly and affecting the essence of the thoroughbred breed.
The BHA has invested nearly £2 million in research and will incorporate gene doping tests into regular race day and out-of-competition sampling.
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