Horse racing HAS a cocaine problem, insists PJA chief Paul Struthers

The sport of horse racing has a cocaine problem, according to Professional Jockeys Association chief executive Paul Struthers.

The admission comes with rising star jockey Benoit De La Sayette, 18, facing six-month ban after testing positive for the drug.  

Struthers revealed that the issue is ‘actively’ being tackled and believes stepping up the amount of testing should be prioritised. 

The sport of horse racing has a cocaine problem, according to Professional Jockeys Association chief executive Paul Struthers

 The admission comes with rising star jockey Benoit De La Sayette, 18, facing six-month ban after testing positive for the drug 

‘There is a problem. It’s obvious there’s a problem,’ PJA chief Struthers told ITV Racing on Friday.

‘We’ve had five cocaine positives since just August when testing recommenced.

‘Do I think it’s a widescale problem? No. Do I think it’s a problem that reflects the prevalence of cocaine in society and maybe the prevalence of cocaine usage in younger people and in racing staff as well? Yes I do.

‘I think there are solutions and there are solutions that are actively being worked on, I think increasing testing is the biggest priority and I know the BHA have increased their testing budget this year.

‘We’re about to start a pilot scheme of saliva testing and by saliva testing you’ll get results within 10-15 minutes. 

‘You will also be able to significantly increase the volume of testing because it’s so much cheaper and then the other element we’re looking at is increasing the penalties.

‘Now I don’t think or believe and I would never allow it just to be “Right someone’s tested positive for cocaine, ban them for two years”. I’ve dealt with so many young jockeys where that would have such a negative impact and you might have made one mistake.

De La Sayette, an 18-year-old apprentice, last month claimed he was the victim of a smear campaign after a video emerged of him allegedly taking cocaine 

‘So it’s looking at increasing maybe the starting point penalty which at the moment is a flat penalty of six months and then maybe looking at increasing it to nine months or 12 months but a range depending on the circumstances of the case.

‘So, possibly being able to bring it back down to six or maybe even increase it beyond a year.’

De La Sayette, an 18-year-old apprentice, last month claimed he was the victim of a smear campaign after a video emerged of him allegedly taking cocaine in the aftermath of his win on John Gosden-trained Haqeeqy in the Lincoln Handicap.

A statement issued by the PJA on his behalf said the video had been edited to give to give a false impression and with De La Sayette denying he had ever taken cocaine.

But a hair test arranged by the BHA four days after De La Sayette’s Lincoln win tested positive for the drug.

The 18-year-old rider enjoyed huge success on board Haqeeqy for his boss, trainer John Gosden, in the Unibet Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster on March 27

The jockey still insists he did not take cocaine at the party where the video was shot or in the build-up to the Lincoln but now admits he was not candid with those close to him and advising him.

De La Sayette said: ‘I cannot apologise enough for my actions, both in respect of taking cocaine and of misleading those around me.

‘There are no excuses and I am sorry for letting down my family, the team at Clarehaven Stables, Mr Gosden and my colleagues in the weighing room.’ 

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy was handed a three-month ban for testing positive for cocaine in November last year.

French racing authorities accepted his testimony that he had been contaminated after having sex with a woman he later learned was a drug user. 

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy was handed a three-month ban for testing positive for cocaine

Struthers also expressed the importance of rehabilitation when tackling drug use in racing.  

‘We’ve taken the view and the position where we might not have condemned the behaviour as much as we should and I know that’s upset some of the other jockeys in the weighing room who think we’re soft and tolerant of it when we’re not,’ he added.

‘But equally when you’re dealing with them as individuals, very rarely have we come across someone who’s tested positive for cocaine who didn’t have other issues, whether they were mental health and well-being issues, whether it was issues relating to alcohol and that’s why we’ve done a lot of education around it through the Jockey Matters films, Sporting Chance, who we use to provide all our mental health support for jockeys.

‘They’re presenting to the young jockeys when they come through on the licence course as well

‘So it is rehabilitation, it is re-education. It is putting an arm around them but at the same time that approach alone hasn’t been working.

‘We’ve had five. I know there are a couple more in the pipeline as well and if we increase testing, which we’ve been calling for four-five years, I suspect we’ll have a few more.

‘There’s a bit more pain to go through first. They’re elite athletes and we can look at other sports where they take a much different view to social and recreational drugs but we don’t want it and the jockeys don’t want it.’