Integrity and Compliance
Spectators trust us to ensure each race at a GBGB licensed track is run fairly and safely – as do those who work and compete within the industry.
Our central team and field force of stipendiary and sampling stewards work closely with trainers, owners, vets and track staff across Britain to uphold our Rules of Racing and ensure compliance. Through our Greyhound Commitment, we also actively seek to promote, support and share best practice, including through specialist training and annual conferences.
In our fortnightly GBGB Calendar, we publish regular updates on our regulatory work including registration and licensing processes, disciplinary action and medication reviews.
Ensuring a fair race
Our anti-doping system is world class, with thousands of samples taken from greyhounds each year and independently tested. Only a tiny proportion of these are ever found to be related to doping.
Our specialist staff work at the forefront of scientific discovery to react to the constant changes in anti-doping and medication control, ensuring our standards remain world leading.
As well as funding pioneering research, we work closely in partnership with other regulatory bodies to develop and share best practice across our sport for the benefit of all involved.
As with any sport, there will always be a very small minority of participants who attempt to cheat and, as the sport’s regulator, we take any misdemeanors very seriously.
Anyone found to be in violation of our Rules of Racing will be appropriately disciplined.
UKAS Accreditation
We are accredited by the government-recognised United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) for our inspection and licensing processes for racecourses against the Rules of Racing.
This means we have demonstrated that the systems used to carry out these activities meet all the required components of ISO 17065, an internationally recognised standard for licensing or ‘certification’ bodies. In meeting this standard, UKAS endorses our processes as being carried out in a consistent, impartial and non-discriminatory manner by trained and competent personnel.
We are subject to two UKAS inspections per year: one is a field-based audit, where UKAS observe a GBGB Stipendiary Steward carrying out a racecourse inspection, and the other takes place at Head Office. Every fourth year, UKAS undertakes a full re-accreditation audit to assess compliance with all aspects of ISO 17065.
Since first achieving accreditation in 2010, we have fully engaged with UKAS to maintain strong, effective and efficient processes for all involved and indeed to improve them further each year.
In addition, in December 2023, Supply Chain In-Sites (SCI), achieved UKAS accreditation for the GBGB Greyhound Trainers Residential Kennels Scheme. This means that both GBGB licensed racecourses and kennels are now assessed and awarded UKAS accredited certificates. Every greyhound trainer licensed by GBGB is now required to have their kennels inspected annually by external auditors. The GBGB Kennel Scheme aims to ensure consistent kennelling practices, in accordance with the BSI PAS 251:2017 ‘Greyhound Residential Kennels’ technical specification, which was developed by a steering group of interested stakeholders. This provides a kennel standard for racing greyhounds that supports good welfare practices.
Impartiality Committee
The GBGB Impartiality Committee is an impartial group with independent expertise which reviews the activities of our staff as a certification body and monitors this work to ensure consistency and objectivity. The Committee is required in order to meet the international standard (ISO 17065) for our UKAS Accreditation.
The Committee is chaired by an Independent Director who sits on the Greyhound Regulatory Board (GRB) and meets up twice a year. Members receive updates from staff on track licensing activities and any other relevant aspects of our work which might impact impartiality.
The Committee also engages with a variety of stakeholders to inform on its role and answer any queries on our UKAS-accredited regulatory processes, as well as seeking their ongoing feedback.
Current members of the Committee are Michael Elks (Chair), Robert Quest, Polly Smith and Bill Lambert.
Anti-Doping Guidance
Anti-Doping Guidance and Information
2019
Download PDF2018
Download PDFADMC Report 2010
Download PDF2019
Download PDFInternationally Harmonised Screening Limits for Medication Control
Download PDF