Drug panel tabs Waterman

NEW YORK - The national group that is attempting to develop uniform medication standards for racing jurisdictions has named Dr. Scott Waterman as its first executive director.

Waterman, the executive director of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Task Force on Racing Integrity and Drug Testing, has been involved with the medication consortium since the group was formed in December 2001. As executive director, Waterman will be responsible for developing a structure for the group and administering its programs, including directing its funding and research priorities.

Waterman declined Wednesday to comment on his appointment, which was made at a consortium meeting Tuesday in Atlanta. The NTRA's task force is expected to be folded into the consortium.

Also at the meeting, the consortium completed several sections of the uniform medication policy, Waterman said, but he declined to describe the policy details. The sections have been sent to the Association of Racing Commissioners International and North American Pari-Mutuel Regulators Association for revision, Waterman said. The two groups represent state racing commissions and make recommendations for rules.

"Right now the sections are in a policy format, and they need to be in a rules format," Waterman said. "There are some language tweaks that need to be done before they can be adopted."