A fresh development in the infamous Boldenone case, that implicated top trainers namely, Pesi Shroff, Cooji Katrak and SK Sunderji, may vindicate the trainers in question. The Food & Drugs Administration (FDA) of the state of Maharashtra, which had collected sealed samples of the feed supplements provided to these trainers by the RWITC, have found them to be contaminated with Boldenone, a banned substance.

The three trainers, it may be recalled, had been penalized on the grounds of vicarious liability with suspensions. The trainers – Katrak and Sunderji have already served their sentences respectively. However, trainer Pesi Shroff, despite serving his one-month suspension, had taken the battle to court where the matter is still pending.  

The FDA report then comes as a relief to the trainers and also vindicates Shroff in particular, as he has claimed innocence right from the outset, stating that the horse feed, supplied by a German company and routed through the RWITC had been the source of contamination. Shroff had taken a legal recourse towards clearing his name and had challenged his one-month suspension in a Mumbai court.

When indiarace contacted Shroff on the development, he said - “Yes I have received a communication from the FDA saying that the feed samples they collected have tested positive for Boldenone, the matter is sub-judice and so I wish not to comment on the issue for now.”

Mr Vijay Shirke, whose horse Eloise had tested positive, said “My trainer (Shroff) had tested the feed and submitted the report to the stewards. In all fairness, they should have verified his claim. If this (FDA report) is true, the least that the club can now do is expunge the stigma from the trainer’s record and annul his punishment.”