Sheikh Mohammed cleared by Lord Stevens’ report into doping scandal

Sheikh Mohammed has been cleared of having any knowledge of the drug scandals involving his organisation last year in a review carried out by Lord Stevens, according to The Guardian.

Sheikh Mohammed ordered the investigation into his own equine operations, following a series of doping scandals last year.

Goldophin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni was banned from racing for 8 years in April after 11 horses tested positive for anabolic steroids ethylestranol and stanozolol during a “testing in training” programme.

In September H&H revealed that a shipment of illegally imported equine drugs, which had been labelled as “horse tack”, was seized and destroyed by border forces at Stansted Airport on 3 May. It later emerged the drugs were seized from a Dubai Royal Air Wing flight.

In a separate raid on 7 August at Moorley Farm East in Newmarket — a property which was being run by leading endurance trainer Jaume Punti Dachs but owned by Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley Management Ltd breeding operation — another 124 medical products were seized by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.

The report, which was led by former Metropolitan Police Chief Lord Stepehens has concluded that Sheikh Mohammed had no knowledge of the drug-related incidents and that the problems came from “a sense of complacency” within the Sheikh’s management structure.

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