Dr. Cornelius Uboh, former director of the USEF Equine Research and Testing Laboratory in Lexington, Kentucky, is suing the U.S. Equestrian Federation, according to an article published by the Lexington Herald Leader.
Dr. Uboh was hired in September 2016. Prior to working for the USEF, he was the bureau director of the Pennsylvania Equine Toxicology and Research Laboratory in West Chester, Pennsylvania, for 27 years, and an adjunct associate professor of pharmacology and pharmacy in the department of clinical studies at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine at the New Bolton Center campus.
When Uboh’s appointment was announced, USEF CEO Bill Moroney said, “Dr. Uboh has been involved in meaningful breakthroughs in detecting doping in racehorses. We believe that his focus on sport horses will lead to new revelations that will help eradicate doping in our sport and strengthen the integrity of our sport in the United States.”
Moroney penned a letter to USEF members on Feb. 7, 2018, which stated that Uboh was “no longer employed by the federation.” His termination was one of several steps USEF took in response to litigation with hunter professionals Kelley Farmer and Larry Glefke. (A review of the case can be found in this article.)
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According to the Lexington Herald Leader, “Uboh says he was not responsible for test results in dispute in the Glefke/Farmer case ‘because the samples were collected before he was hired.’ Uboh also alleges the federation ignored his objections to testing of a sample that, he says, disregarded national and international drug-testing regulations and protocol, including those of the International Olympics Committee and the World Anti-Doping Agency.”
The Lexington Herald Leader says Uboh is claiming defamation and breach of contract. He reportedly seeks a trial by jury, compensatory and punitive damages, attorney’s fees and any other relief to which he is entitled.
A USEF representative said the federation cannot comment on pending litigation, but that the organization intends to vigorously defend against this particular lawsuit. Dr. Uboh could not be reached for comment at time of publishing.
