In the News: FEI President Princess Haya’s husband entangled in racehorse doping scandal. AWKWARD!!!
NYT reported today that 11 thoroughbreds owned by Dubai’s ruling family have tested positive for steroids.
Top photo: luxist.com
An excerpt from the story:
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai’s ruler (and Princess Haya’s husband), was described as “absolutely appalled” by the announcement on Monday that 11 Godolphin thoroughbreds trained at Newmarket, the home of British horseracing, had tested positive for banned steroids.
In what one racing commentator described as “one of the biggest doping scandals of modern times,” Mahmoud Al Zarooni, one of Godolphin’s top trainers, admitted responsibility for administering the drugs in what he said was a “catastrophic error.”
Simon Crisford, Godolphin racing manager, said, “This is a dark day for Godolphin. We are all shocked by what has happened.”
According to Cornelius Lysaght, the BBC’s racing correspondent, Sheikh Mohammed’s legendary hands-on approach has been responsible for turning Godolphin into one of the few top players in racing, and the Maktoum family has helped transform Dubai into a world center for sport and leisure.
“Yet, apparently right under their noses, perhaps racing’s greatest ever drugs scandal has unfolded,” Mr. Lysaght wrote.
That’s got to suck especially hard for Princess Haya, a champion of the FEI’s Clean Sport Campaign.
Maybe it’s not the Sheikh’s fault, directly, but this seems as good a time as any to stage an intervention.
Princess Haya! What are you doing with that guy, anyway! He might be loaded and royal and stuff, but he’s a cranky-looking bearded creeper and you’re a total babe! You’re only, like, his junior wife anyway. That means you have to share him with other wives! Gross!!! And now he’s all caught up in a horse doping scandal? Girlfriend, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!?
Um, no thank you.
Sorry, just needed to get that off my chest. Read the full story here.
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