The NHRA has just been advised that its Laboratory has achieved a perfect 100% score within the 2020 Horseracing International Laboratory Proficiency Testing Program.
This program is conducted by the Association of Official Racing Chemists according to the prohibited substance detection requirements of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA).
It is investigated if racing laboratories detect important prohibited and forbidden substance at the required sensitivities in blind, internationally supplied urine and blood specimens. The NHA Laboratory was 100% compliant and correct during such testing.
Related to this program, several batches of negative NHA racing specimens were re-analysed at several overseas racing laboratories during 2020. Such external testing was to investigate a negative presence of prohibited substances.
The tests confirmed that specimens which the NHA Laboratory declared as negative did not contain prohibited substances and there also the NHA Laboratory achieved a 100% score.
While the National Horseracing Authority’s Laboratory maintains strict compliance to the prohibited substance requirements of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, is has to also incorporate strict quality compliance in its testing.
The South African National Accreditation System conducted such a compliance assessment (audit) during latter part of 2020, investigating racing quality ILAC-G7 (Accreditation Requirements and Operating Criteria for Horseracing Laboratories) and the international chemical and biological testing laboratories quality standard ISO/IEC 17025.
Subsequent to this assessment process the NHA Laboratory was again re-certified as accredited to the required standards.
The above racing and quality compliance is confirmed by the fact that racing jurisdictions such as France, Hong Kong and England have the confidence in the capabilities of the NHA Laboratory to have it available, when required, to act as a confirmatory analysis laboratory for their positive findings.
Despite its modest size and limited budget, the NHRA Laboratory is internationally respected for its standards and capabilities. It has the demonstrated capability of detecting and confirming the presence of prohibited substances and meets the same lofty standards as the other top equine forensic laboratories in the world.
People involved in racing, both locally and internationally, can be assured that our capabilities are world class in keeping with the ethos of clean and safe racing.
- Media release by NHRA on Wednesday 20 January 2021
