The working group formed following the publication of an open letter to the GBGB is calling on the incoming GBGB CEO to address structural issues around how greyhound racing is run and governed, in order to ensure the sport has a sustainable future.
The group held several meetings with GBGB board members, including outgoing CEO Mark Bird, which were initially encouraging. The board agreed in principle to adopt a code of practice for tracks which was put forward by the group, but this was ultimately vetoed by a number of promoters who sit on the board.
The aim of the code was to raise standards across the industry and to ensure that all visitors to tracks – whether they are customers, owners, staff, trainers or kennel hands – have a consistent experience in a professional environment.
“The appointment of the next GBGB CEO is an absolutely vital one.”
A statement from the working group said: “The appointment of the next GBGB CEO is an absolutely vital one which is crucial to the sport’s future. The board needs to be led by someone with the vision to shake things up, and the fortitude to stand up to vested interests on the board who are resistant to change. As long as the current situation prevails, with opaque decision making and the promoters effectively running the sport, we won’t see the improvements that the sport desperately needs.”
“The issues which prompted us to publish the open letter and formulate the code are still every bit as pressing as they were back in April last year, and in some respects things have got worse. We are calling on the new CEO to implement a board structure which is more representative of the broad range of stakeholders within the sport, more transparent and less dominated by promoters. The board needs to have the power and the reach to govern effectively and fairly, and in its current form we don’t believe that is possible.”
“If the sport can’t retain its participants and attract new ones, it doesn’t have a future.”
“The board has done a good job of addressing ‘outward-facing’ problems affecting the sport, but have taken their eye off the ball when it comes to the day-to-day running of greyhound racing, to the extent that disillusioned trainers, owners and breeders are leaving the industry – an issue that in our opinion is every bit as existential as the threat of a ban in Scotland and Wales. If the sport can’t retain its participants and attract new ones, it doesn’t have a future. We look forward to meeting the new CEO and hope to resume positive and productive talks when an appointment is made.”
The working group is made up of:
• Tony Brealey, owner, Coppice Racing
• Jade Browne, assistant trainer, Adachi Racing
• Claire Conley, owner/breeder/rearer
• Callum Field-Mullins, kennel hand
• Tom Heilbron, trainer
• Brian Hough, owner
• Nathan Hunt, trainer/breeder
• Kevin Hutton, trainer/breeder
• Phil Milner, trainer/breeder
• Josh Sealey, track preparation specialist
• George Sell, owner/syndicate manager
