Wilson admits EPO doping, claims GRV officials failed to act
A GREYHOUND trainer at the centre of the Lara raids has explained his motives for teaming up with Animals Australia to expose alleged widespread drug use within the sport.
Charlie Wilson says he entered several properties in the week leading up to the Melbourne Cup, run on November 18, and placed surveillance cameras in the kennels and surrounding areas of each property.
An Animals Australia spokesperson admitted to working with Wilson, including expressing knowledge about the Victorian trainer's own misdemeanours.
“Information provided to Animals Australia by Charlie Wilson alleged the wide-spread use of performance enhancing drugs in the greyhound racing industry, most of which remains undetected by regulators,” The spokesperson said.
“Charlie Wilson indicated a willingness to be interviewed by the media and speak to his own drugging of greyhounds that was never detected, as well as to the widespread use of performance enhancing drugs in greyhound racing.
“The use of such drugs, not only has significant animal welfare impacts, but would result in extensive race fixing.”
Wilson has now come forward to defend himself against the allegations by Animals Australia and explained he was driven to joining the controversial animal rights group because GRV refused to take his claims seriously.
Despite confessing he had administered Recombinant Human Erythropoietin (EPO) to one of his greyhounds, Wilson maintains he did so to expose the corruption around the doping of dogs and GRV turning a blind eye.
The greyhound in question, Big Show Mullo, was allegedly administered the substance prior to running second at Shepparton on August 11.
Wilson outlined his actions in an email which was sent to the Police Minister, the Racing Minister and the Racing Integrity Auditor in NSW on October 3, 2016.
“I ordered a lot of drugs from overseas and successfully brought them into the country,” the letter read.
“I purposely set this dog up on his box draw and price to gain the attention of GRV.
“I injected [Big Show Mullo] two days out [from the race] with 0.2mL intravenously of Recombinant Human Erythropoietin, which is a permanently banned substance across all codes of human sports right through to animal racing.”
The greyhound was not swabbed following the race, despite running second at $21 and $6 for a place and coming into the event with poor form.
At its next start, Wilson claims he tripled the dosage of EPO in order to test the drug testing within greyhound racing. The dog ran seventh in the event, with a pre-race swab testing negative for any traces of EPO.
This was the final straw for Wilson, who had his worst fears confirmed, that the sport's regulators were not doing enough to catch drug cheats.
“It is extremely frustrating because that means there are people out there who are smarter than me who are in the dog game and winning millions of dollars,” he said.
“It is not a level a playing field.
“So much prizemoney has been won [by people using drugs] and then [there are] people like me who are clean and come into the industry with some money and we just want to have a bit of fun and we are being burnt.”
After the negative finding, Wilson said he invited the GRV Integrity Unit to his property where he showed them $1,550 worth of banned substances including EPO in both powder and injectable forms.
“I pleaded with [GRV investigator] Charlie Bezzina at my house to find something – I begged, I stood at my house nearly in tears,” Wilson said.
“I gave them vials of EPO [from China and Russia] – they came around to my house the week after the dog was swabbed and I produced a big box of EPO.
“They tested all the drugs and confirmed the vials and syringe were EPO – but they couldn't confirm it was in the urine sample (obtained from Big Show Mullo).”
Wilson says he admitted to GRV that he had doped the dog on two occasions, but said the authority body failed to take notice of what he was saying.
Australian Racing Greyhound also has proof that Wilson's letter detailing the events was sent to a wide range of political and racing authority figures, from which there has been no action.
“If GRV have failed to take me seriously, then that's very silly – if they have failed to act as the regulator,” he said.
“The whole government, including GRV, has failed to act on information from a whistleblower.
“I still have my licence and I handed this stuff to them – permanently banned substances – and I never got a notice of inquiry, I have never been put in front of a disciplinary panel.
“I still have my licence, I could nominate a dog tomorrow.
The disheartening experience he had with GRV was what triggered Wilson to contact Animals Australia. He said the only people willing to listen were those who have been accused of trying to bring the industry down.
Wilson said he then approached the head of Animals Australia Lyn White in a bid to get something done about the drugs in greyhound racing.
“No one believed me – everyone thinks I have three heads,” he said.
“It is [not good] and it is why I got [involved] with Lyn White.
GRV was contacted for comment on this story but both Senior Integrity Manager Charlie Bezzina and General Manager of Integrity Shane Gillard refused to comment.
“We can't discuss these allegations as they are under investigation,” a spokesperson said.
I think this Bloke’s a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic.
tripled the amount of EPO injected into the dog and it runs 7th….and he says the GRV testing is not up to standards????? if the dog won u goose,they would have reacted.you got it I reverse…u have to win and show improvement,not run normal. purchased the crap overseas…..there is a clue on its own….he was duped the fool. he bought lolly water and he was duped. why would stewards want to swab a dog that ran up to its normal form anyway?…he has blundered this big time,and a nasty bit of news about him has just surfaced(cant confirm)and he has… Read more »
AsIseeit says he was an army boy. maybe a discharge on mental grounds?
The dog actually went quicker at Shepparton without the EPO.
Both he and the helper are both emotionally distressed, a cute way of saying barking mad and supported by our leading online forum.
This Charlie Wilson guy has to be the dumbest, most gullible clown that god ever put breath into……pays god knows how much for saline solution or water for injection from overseas shysters…Dumb as! And then incriminates himself…foolhardy is being way too kind
Same bloke who has threatened to kill at least 4 people and their families in the last 2 months.
Same bloke who has threatened to kill at least 4 people and their families in the last 2 months. And that is just the ones I know of. Who knows how many others he has threatened to kill. This bloke has massive problems. Hopefully the truth will come out regarding this idiot.
Well in 40 years i’ve been in the industry i thought i’d seen and heard everything about some people industry and what they get up to ,but this bloke takes the cake ?
In other words if you want action, go to AA
https://www.abc.net.au/news/caro-meldrum-hanna/6958936 seems our young reporter is involved.loves the muck scene on any topic,and is mentioned as a ROGUE here in the reporting scene. has a definite input on this story,and with her history,a lie here or there helps her cause.some I am lead to believe are reporting direct to her and her supporter,another behind the scenes TV guru,and that SOME who are giving details are GREYHOUND PEOPLE,who are mesmerised by the fantasy of doing the right thing.it is not only CW & KW back dooring the industry,there are some big names doing same in NSW. there are 2 factions at… Read more »
Best you keep working to hide the truth as best you can from the public?
see THE AUSTRALIAN are onto it now with a report today.
noted how determined the ABC were in distancing themselves,and denying they were running any video in 2017(who is lying here?)
and now,we have to suspect that MELDRUM-HANNA is being supported(we know she is) by a financier.is that financier the ABC in a back door dealing? suspect possible chance this is so….would be best to advance on ABC and find out the connection between her and the ABC,because until the denial is noted properly,ABC are not in the clear yet.
AsIseeit Comes across as “not the full-quid.”
Roman Earl …now theres an old dog name I recall. u connected by chance?
This poor simpleton has clearly made the biggest mistake of his life. He’ll have to live with it every day from now on.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/broadcast/whistleblowers-ire-as-abc-caught-in-greyhounds-row/news-story/060724cf0e2bf68d824f1369fc316127
This poor simpleton has made the biggest mistake of his life. He’ll have to live with it for the rest of his life.
….EVERY DAY…..
Roman Earl
I saw ‘Roman Earl’ run the track record at WP, 30.80 for 532mtrs on grass. The fastest beginner ever at WP, never beaten to the first turn, what a champ.
lone widow Roman Earl What ‘ A NOSE ” a super star
If you had time to read Wilson explanation for what he did on GD ,which has been taken down from the site still leaves me concerned with the behavior to prove a point. i hope with his explanation that he exposed White and Co for what they really are, and no doubt they are completely Embarrassed with whats gone down! GOOD . I believe with whats gone down won’t hurt the industry to the extent of it being shut down Some would say you would think he would have been more Diligent in doing what he did ,and others are… Read more »
…isn’t this the same guy who was lauded as a hero of the greyhound racing cause a few months back? (after ban was announced)….
Verity C
I don’t believe a word of it ‘Verity C’.
He’s batting for the other side.
Verity C TELL YOU,AT THE START HIS HEART WAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE. he lost it when he suffered issues with his dog. but he has left himself wide open for charges in doing it his GENIUS MIND WAY….he is as guilty as anyone who drugs and that was his bring down. an egotist of the highest level,and he did win one battle,but not the war(Hey Aaron c of nz watching)and that battle showed up just what the AA and activists are constructed of,and he opened them all up like a can sardines to all the little nick nack things… Read more »