Dallas Seavey named as musher whose dogs failed drug tests

WASILLA — What began as a change in wording of a rule meant to enforce dog doping standards two weeks ago blew up into a growing scandal this week focusing on one of the biggest names in Iditarod history.Monday afternoon, the Iditarod Trail Committee Board of Directors issued a statement that identified the previously unidentified musher accused of doping dogs with the pain reliever Tramadol, known only as Musher X, as four-time champion Dallas Seavey.The Trail Committee explained in the release that four dogs in Seavey’s pack tested positive for a prohibited substance, but after investigating the situation, determined that the body would not likely be able to prove intent, which, the committee said, would have been required to assert disciplinary means given the way rules were written. So, the committee wrote a revision of Rule 39 to close the intent loophole.“Given the manner in which the previous rule was written, it could have been interpreted to require the ITC to prove intent by a musher to achieve a competitive advantage. Because of the sensitivity of the matter, and the face that it was not imposing sanctions under the prior version of the rule, the ITC decided that it was appropriate not to disclose the name of the musher involved,” the ITC wrote.But public outcry, and a declaration by the The Iditarod Official Finishers Club demanding the release of the name of Musher X, issued Monday morning and signed by dozens of mushers, prompted the ITC’s change of mind.“The IOFC vehemently denounces the doping of dogs in any form,” the letter said. “Furthermore, the IOFC does not support how the ITC has handled this issue. The IOFC unanimously demands the release of Musher X’s name within 72 hours and is asking for complete transparency moving forward. It is unacceptable that multiple dogs testedpositive for a drug in a single musher’s team and that that information was only recently made public when it was known since shortly after the team finished.”In response, the Trail Committee disclosed the name of the accused musher and the drug allegedly used.“The material facts which Seavey presented to the ITC during its investigation included, but were not limited to: statements denying that he had administered that drug to any of his dogs; that it would have been irrational for him to do so at that stage of the race because he knew he would be subjected to mandatory testing in Nome as well as a panel of voluntary tests he had agreed to participate in relating the canine recovery rates; and that Tramadol would not, in his opinion, have given him a competitive advantage,” the ITC said in Monday’s release. “Under those circumstances, the ITC decided that rather than attempting to enforce a potentially ambiguous rule under uncertain circumstances, that it would be best for all interests involved – including the mushers, sponsors, fans and the general public – for it to rewrite its canine drug test rule to adopt a bright line strict liability standard. ITC anticipates that the new version of Rule 39 will offer certainty to the race and mushers concerning standards and obligations.”Seavey did not agree with the way the incident was handled, and took to Youtube later on Monday to express his displeasure.Saying that he believes his dogs were likely intentionally and maliciously drugged, Seavey accused race officials of ‘throwing him under the bus,’ and using terms like ‘cancer’ and ‘corruption’ in describing officials, Seavey tore in, anticipating it would result in his suspension.“I have done absolutely nothing wrong. I have never knowingly broken any race rule; I have never given any banned substance to my dogs,” Seavey said in the video. “I love the Iditarod, but the board is not the Iditarod.”For its part, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which has repeatedly called for the race’s end, issued a press release demanding stiff punishments for all violators.“Cracking down on dog-doping mushers is essential, but nothing will ease these dogs' tremendous suffering except removing them from this deadly race entirely," said PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "PETA is again calling on the Iditarod to reinvent the race as a competition that celebrates human endurance and leaves the dogs out of it."