Dog Racing: Viagra ban leaves some Greyhound owners deflated

The Irish greyhound racing board has banned the use of the male sex drug Viagra in the sport, a spokesman said today.

John Garrahy, regulations manager for Bord na gCon, said the drug had been placed on a list of banned substances though no dogs had been tested positive for the impotence drug.

He explained that any substances that did not constitute part of the animals’ normal diet were outlawed and that the decision was not linked to reports that Viagra might give racing dogs an extra yard by increasing their blood pressure and hence heart-rate in the early stages of a race.

He said: ‘‘We do not know of any performance-enhancing qualities on the track, but theoretically it may do.

‘‘The fact is that greyhound racing is drug-free and it is a drug and can’t be attributed to a normal diet.’’

A racing source said today that in dog racing terms Viagra was ‘‘the greatest thing since sliced pan (bread)’’.

Bord na gCon is a commercial semi-state body which controls the promotion and operation of greyhound racing in the Republic.