The Latest: Name of musher in doping case being withheld

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The Latest on several Iditarod dogs testing positive for prohibited drug (all times local):

3:40 p.m.

An official with the world’s most famous sled dog race says the name of a musher with several dogs that tested positive for a prohibited drug is not being released, based on an attorney’s advice.

Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race spokesman Chas St. George says the musher also has not been named because of the unlikelihood that race organizers could prove the musher intentionally administered the drug.

St. George says the musher will be allowed to participate in next year’s race and will not face any disciplinary actions.

Organizers of the nearly 1,000-mile race said several dogs tested positive for the opioid pain reliever Tramadol. It’s the first time in Iditarod history that the high-performance animals have tested positive for a prohibited drug.

Officials said the team was tested six hours after finishing the race in Nome in March.

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12:55 p.m.

For the first time in the history of the world’s most famous sled dog race, several of the high-performance animals have tested positive for a prohibited drug. But race officials have refused to name the musher involved.

The governing board of the nearly 1,000-mile race said in a statement that several dogs tested positive for the opioid pain reliever Tramadol. Officials said the team was tested six hours after finishing the nearly 1,000-mile race in Nome in March.

Officials say they likely could not prove legally prove intent on the affected musher’s part. Officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment and to say whether the musher faces discipline.

Iditarod board member and musher Aaron Burmeister says he doesn’t know the musher’s identity, but he adds that only the first 20 teams to reach Nome are tested.