What does it mean to be ‘warned off’?
If an individual is charged with a serious breach of the Rules of Racing, including, but not limited to, corruption, improper use of ‘inside’ information or administering a prohibitive substance, he or she is required to appear before the Disciplinary Panel of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). After a fair, impartial hearing, the Disciplinary Panel decides if there has been a breach of the Rules of Racing and, if so, on an appropriate punishment.
If the charged individual is ‘warned off’, they are excluded from any premises licensed by the BHA, including racecourses and training establishments, and restricted from associating with other licensed or registered persons, including jockeys, trainers and owners, for a length of time stipulated by the Disciplinary Panel. In the most famous case in recent years, in May, 2013, former Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni was warned off for eight years, with immediate effect, after admitting administering prohibited anabolic steroids to several horses in his care and acting in a manner prejudicial to the good reputation of horse racing.