Veteran harness driver, John Flood, believes a proposal to revise current drug policy in the sport is 'bias' and has only surfaced because a Driving Horse and Pony Club (DHPC) committee member has been banned for failing a random drug test.

He also revealed that discontentment is brewing among those who feel ongoing calls for a special general meeting to discuss potential revisions to drug testing policy have come to the fore because a pony (Black & Mild) co-owned by DHPC committee member Colin Mello recently tested positive for Bute (phenylbutazone).

Flood, 49, now fears that changing drug policy to suit any one individual could have a crippling effect on the sport that has come under scrutiny in the wake of a doping scandal.

"When rules are made they should never be changed for any one person.

"And if they (DHPC) are not changing the rules for Colin (Mello) then why are they changing them at all?" he argued.

"If I got caught I can guarantee you that there would be no special meeting called to change any rules and I think this whole thing (revisions to drug rules) is biased because everybody has a drug list and know what they can and cannot use."

He added: "I think to change the rules at this stage would be very unfair because everybody agreed before that the current rules should remain in place for five-years.

"To jump up and change the rules because a committee member fails a test will cause animosity among the drivers.

"This whole thing sounds bias and my question is how come they (DHPC) didn't want to change the law before?"

Contacted yesterday, DHPC president Nick DeCosta refrained from commenting on all matters relating to a doping scandal that has rocked the local harness racing community.

DHPC are scheduled to meet early next month when it is expected members will call for a special general meeting to revisit current drug policy in harness racing.

Flood, however, believes his association's drug policies should remain as they are.

"I have absolutely no problem with the drug testing policy because everyone knows we are not supposed to use drugs and are well aware of the consequences if they get caught," he said.

"But now they are calling for a special general meeting and I am sick and tired of the rules changing.

"The rules were put in place for five years, and that's the way I think they should stay.

"A good friend of mine got caught (failed drug test) but he didn't make a fuss.

"He's just doing his time and dealing with it."

Last week The Royal Gazette revealed that three drivers and their owners had been banned for a year for failing random drug test, among them DHPC committee member Mello.

The 29-year old landscaper has owned up to the offence but denies being among those now calling for changes to be made to DHPC drug testing policy that could pave the way for one of his top contenders, Big Red Machine, to resume an assault on the Vesey Street track record.

"That's false and I think this whole thing has been blown out of proportion. I'm not the one pushing for reform," he said.

"I can't even go to the meeting (next month) and have a say because I am suspended."

Big Red Machine briefly held the track record at Vesey Street last year.

Mello has since threatened to quit harness racing and has reportedly disbanded L&M Racing, which is co-owned by Robert Lopes who is the son of past Driving Horse and Pony Club president David Lopes.