Doping Scandal Plagues Iditarod: What Happened, and What’s Next
The state sport of Alaska, dog mushing, has long been free from doping controversy. Not so any more.
Last week, the Iditarod Trail Committee (ITC) revealed that Dallas Seavey was the musher whose four dogs had a positive drug test at the end of this year’s race. It was the first time any positive test had been returned since the race began drug-testing in 1994.
Seavey has repeatedly denied giving the pain-reliever tramadol to his dogs. He’s alleged it was sabotage. Others in the mushing community argue there’s little evidence to back that claim up.
To hear KNOM’s in-depth review of Seavey’s statements, the available facts about this ongoing story, and the direction it’s headed, listen here:
Photo at top: Dallas Seavey at the 2016 Iditarod restart in Fairbanks. The four-time champion has withdrawn from the 2018 race in protest of the ITC’s handling of the matter. (Photo: Ben Matheson, KNOM.)
Music: “Four” by Arliss Parker.
Iditarod may not give dogs drug tests:
Iditarod Rule 39 says “dogs are subject to the collection of urine or blood samples, at the discretion of the testing veterinarian….” That only means tests MIGHT be given. The Iditarod is NOT saying that tests WILL be given.
– Sled Dog Action Coalition, http://helpsleddogs.org