RWITC reduces suspensions of Shroff, Jadhav - By Shailendra Awasthi I TOI
Posted on - 31 Oct 2015
RWITC reduces suspensions of Shroff, Jadhav
By Shailendra Awasthi
TOI
The stewards of the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) have reduced the suspensions handed out to trainers Pesi Shroff and Mansingh Jadhav at a hearing held on Thursday.
The racing body had earlier suspended the duo for nine months. While Shroff 's suspension was reduced to 90 days, Jadhav's was also reduced to 90 days from 150 days. Both trainers are expected to file an appeal against the fresh decision.
Shroff and Jadhav had produced fresh evidences in June and appealed against the stewards' decision. Following a hearing, Board of Appeal had referred the cases back to stewards for a relook in the light of the new developments.
On Thursday, stewards also heard two experts, a senior professor from a Bangalore-based leading science institute and senior veterinarian Dr SM Karthikeyan, who gave their respective opinions about the presence of O-Desmethylvenlafaxine in the urine samples of several horses trained by both the trainers. The experts told stewards that according to them there was a possibility of contamination. “We were convinced there was reason to suggest there could have been contamination in certain feed items. Though the trainers were unable to present conclusive mitigating circumstances, there was reasonable evidence to indicate the contamination theory. However, both trainers remained vicariously responsible as the rules clearly state that the trainers are responsible for the care and safety of their horses and are liable for punishment as prescribed in the Medication Rules,“ Vivek Jain, one of the stewards, explained the reason for reducing the suspensions.
Originally, Shroff was for suspended when his horses Maisha and Arrivederci were found positive for O -Desmethylvenlafaxine (an anti-depressant used by humans) and another horse Ramesses was found positive for Capsaicin (banned derivative of chili peppers). Trainer Jadhav was suspended for six of his horses testing positive for various drugs.
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