Gene doping in horse racing and equine sports: Current landscape and future perspectives.
Authors: Puchalska Maria, Witkowska-Piłaszewicz Olga
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
Gene doping—the deliberate application of gene therapy or genetic modification techniques to artificially enhance equine athletic performance—represents an emerging integrity challenge for racing and equestrian sports that warrants urgent professional attention. Puchalska and Witkowska-Piłaszewicz conducted a comprehensive review of the current technological landscape, examining which genetic interventions could realistically be deployed in horses, the biological mechanisms by which they might improve performance, and the associated detection capabilities currently available to regulators and testing authorities. The authors identified significant gaps between the sophistication of gene-doping technologies and our capacity to detect them reliably, whilst highlighting particular concern around interventions targeting muscle hypertrophy, oxygen utilisation and fatigue resistance—traits directly advantageous in racing and endurance disciplines. Beyond analytical detection challenges, the review emphasises serious animal welfare implications, including unpredictable systemic effects, potential immune responses, and long-term health consequences that could materialise months or years after genetic manipulation. For equine professionals engaged in performance assessment, competition monitoring or veterinary oversight, this work underscores the necessity for industry-wide collaboration with regulatory bodies and research institutions to establish preventive protocols, standardised testing frameworks, and ethical guidelines before gene-doping techniques become accessible to those willing to circumvent current rules.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Sports governing bodies and veterinary regulators need to develop detection protocols and monitoring systems to identify gene doping in competition horses
- •Equine practitioners should be aware of gene doping as an emerging welfare and integrity concern in horse racing and equestrian sports
- •Collaborative approaches involving veterinarians, racing authorities, and sports organizations are essential to establish preventive strategies and ethical guidelines
Key Findings
- •Gene doping represents an emerging threat to equine sports integrity through gene therapy and genetic manipulation technologies
- •Current landscape includes underlying technologies, potential applications, and detection methods for gene doping in horses
- •Ethical concerns regarding gene doping in equine sports require stakeholder collaboration to develop safeguarding strategies