Horse racing officials criticize Olympics

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LEXINGTON, Ky., July 25 (UPI) -- Horse racing authorities have asked Olympic drug testers to release the names of athletes who receive exemptions to use performance-enhancing drugs.

Ed Martin, president of the Association of Racing Commissioners International, released a statement this week requesting the International Olympic Committee to release the names of athletes who are given permission to use performance-enhancing drugs, The (Louisville, Ky.) Courier-Journal reported

"When you look at the facts, the perception that (the Olympic) games will be drug-free and horse racing is drug-ridden is an Olympic-sized deception," Martin said in a statement. "The challenge is real for both, but horse racing's transparency and hard line against virtually all performance enhancing therapeutics may explain why some think racing's problem is bigger than it is."

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency reported 485 exemption requests in 2010 and granted 155 of those requests. Only the anti-bleeding drug furosemide is allowed on race day in thoroughbred racing.