マキシマムセキュリティ調教師ら２７人訴追　米競馬でドーピング

【ニューヨークＡＦＰ＝時事】米連邦検察は9日、巧妙なドーピング計画を組織していたとして、優勝馬のマキシマムセキュリティを管理している調教師ジェイソン・サービス容疑者のほか、獣医師や関係スタッフの計27人が訴追されたと公表した。（写真はマキシマムセキュリティ）
　米連邦検察が訴追した中では史上最大規模になるという競馬の事件では、サービス容疑者らが馬券購入者を欺き、巨大産業の競馬界から利益をむさぼる悪質な計画に関与したとされる。
　検察によれば、捜査では不正行為を指摘されている２７人が、「残酷かつ非人道的」に馬を扱っていた証拠が見つかったという。中でもサービス容疑者は「実質上、自身が管理するすべての競走馬」に運動能力向上剤を投与していたとされている。
　第１４５回ケンタッキーダービー（３歳、ダート２０００メートル）で１位入線を果たしたものの、他の馬の進路を妨害したとして降着となったマキシマムセキュリティは、サービス容疑者がドーピングをしていた馬の一頭で、世界中のレースに参戦。先月にはサウジアラビアの首都リヤドで開催された世界最高賞金の新設レース、サウジカップ（ダート１８００メートル）で１着となり、賞金１０００万ドル（約１０億４０００万円）を獲得していた。
　米連邦捜査局ニューヨーク支部のウィリアム・Ｆ・スウィーニー副支局長は、ドーピングに使われていた物質は馬を本来の能力より速く走らせたり、けがのリスクを増加させたりするものだったと明かした。
　「これらの馬に起きていたことは、虐待以外の何ものでもない」「馬は心臓への負担、骨折につながる過労、けがのリスク増加を経験し、場合によっては死に至るケースもあった」【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/03/11-10:31）

Some 27 racehorse trainers, veterinarians and support staff have been charged with running an elaborate horse doping ring described as the largest ever to be prosecuted in the United States, federal justice officials said on Monday.
A US Justice Department statement said the accused -- which included top trainer Jason Servis, the handler of champion horse Maximum Security -- had been involved in a corrupt scheme designed to cheat gamblers and plunder profits from the $100 billion racing industry.
Prosecutors said investigators had uncovered evidence of cruelty and inhumane treatment of horses linked to the 27 people accused of wrongdoing.
An indictment said Servis -- whose Maximum Security finished first in the Kentucky Derby last year only to later be disqualified for interference -- had administered performance-enhancing drugs to virtually all the racehorses under his control.
Maximum Security, which was one of the horses doped by Servis, has continued to race around the world and last month pocketed $10 million after winning the inaugural Saudi Cup race in Riyadh -- the richest horse race in the world.
Today's unsealing of four indictments for widespread doping of racehorses is the largest ever of its kind from the Department of Justice, Manhattan US Attorney Geoffrey Berman said in a statement.
These defendants engaged in this conduct not for the love of the sport, and certainly not out of concern for the horses, but for money. And it was the racehorses that paid the price for the defendants' greed.
The care and respect due to the animals competing, as well as the integrity of racing, are matters of deep concern to the people of this District and to this Office.
- 'Nothing less than abuse' -
The four indictments released on Monday cover a range of offences and detail the shipment and and administration of adulterated and misbranded drugs in an effort to enhance the racing performance of horses.
Over the course of the scheme, participants manufactured, purchased, sold, shipped, delivered, received and administered thousands of units, of PEDS, Berman wrote in charging documents.
William F. Sweeney, assistant director of the FBI's New York office, said the substances given to the horses made them run faster than their natural ability allowed, and increased risk of injury.
What actually happened to these horses amounted to nothing less than abuse, Sweeney said.
They experienced cardiac issues, overexertion leading to leg fractures, increased risk of injury and in some cases death.
Horses under the control of the trainers charged in the scheme obtained prize money at race meetings in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, and the United Arab Emirates.
One of the 27 accused, trainer Jorge Navarro, is alleged to have trained and doped XY Jet, a thoroughbred that won the 2019 Golden Shaheen race in Dubai.
Investigators successfully intercepted phone conversations where Navarro discussed doping horses and specifically XY Jet, with blood building drugs that can cause cardiac issues, the justice department said.
Navarro announced the death of XY Jet from an apparent heart attack in January of this year.