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11 Sep 11
21:25
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Date Joined:
05 Jan 10
Taken from Greyhound Data
Paddy Power and **** express concerns about races held at two of the country's top courses to industry's state-funded watchdog
TWO of the country's biggest bookmakers have raised questions as to the "integrity" of races at both Shelbourne Park and Harold's Cross greyhound tracks in Dublin, according to the minutes at a recent Bord na gCon board meetings.
The development amounts to an ill-timed new controversy to hit the greyhound industry following two seperate allegations in the past three years in relation to the "integrity" of specific races at the Dundalk and Cork tracks.
The Sunday Independent understands that the Department of Agriculture was recently informed that an investigation into what is alleged to have occurred in Dundalk is to reopen.
An investigation into an allegation in Cork, however, seems set to be closed on account of what is been called an "administrative error".
A meeting of the board of the Bord na gCon, a commercial semi-state body, was told on July 20 last that an "incorrect label was used when a sample was dispatched for analysis".
There is currently some dissent within the board - with the result that a member has circulated a memorandum, dated August 19, to other board members in which he express "misgivings" as to how the Cork allegation is been handled at board level.
Yesterday, however, Bord na gCon chief executive Adrian Neilan defended the boards handling of the issue.
He told the Sunday Independent that "integrity is our business". He Said : "without integrity we do not have an industry or sport"
The "integrity" concerns of both Paddy Power and **** bookmakers, in relation to Shelbourne Park and Harold's Cross and the investigations in Dundalk and Cork, were discussed at meetings of the Bord na gCon board in July 8, 20 and 28 last.
Bord na gCon - the Irish Greyhound Board - which receives state subvention of 12m a year, is responsible for the control and development of the greyhound industry in Ireland.
It regulates all aspects of greyhound racing, including the issuing of permits to bookmakers. It also operates Tote facilities at all greyhound tracks and applies an on-course levy on all bookmakers betting in Ireland.
According to the minutes if the July 8 meeting, two officials from Paddy Power recently advised Bord na gCon at a high level that it proposed to put up a sign to the effect that they would not accept bets at their shops in Shelbourne Park, the country's premier track.
The Irish Greyhound Derby, sponsored by bookmakers Ladbrokes, is to be held at Shelbourne Park on Saturday. At the July 8 meeting, a board members said that, going into the Derby, the "integrity" of the sport was "vitally important".
The Paddy Power representatives are understood to have advised the reason for its decision not to accept bets and outlined four instances and named people allegedly involved.
The board was told that Paddy Power identified a bookmaker, two punters and a person who works at Shelbourne Park when they outlined their concerns.
It is understood that the Bord na gCon board member, who met with the representatives of Paddy Power, told them that he would raise the issue at a meeting of Bord na gCon on July 8.
He asked that the signs not be put up. He subsequently got a telephone call to say that the signs did not go up.
According to the minutes, when the issue was raised at the board meeting on July 8, another member of the board then said there was "no doubt" that there were "instances".
This board official also identified an issue relating to the Harold's Cross track.
It can now be revealed that a representative of **** rang this board member and advised that they had video evidence that money had been put on a specific dog that was scheduled to race at Harold's Cross.
The board member then rang to request that the dog be tested. But 10 minutes after that telephone call the dog was withdrawn.
The board member also provided further specific details of another incident at Harold's Cross last March, which can not be disclosed at this stage for legal reasons.
The board member said at the meeting that there was a "serious situation in relation to integrity issues" at Harold's Cross. However, the board member added this situation "was now happening at Shelbourne Park, which is one of serious concern".
Todays revelations are expeted to cause more controversy for the greyhound industry days before its showpiece Derby.
The revelations also come at a time when the Government is anxious to explore the potentially lucrative development of links between the greyhound industry here and abroad.
Yesterday Mr Neilan said: "we spend 2m a year on integrity programmes. The vast majority, 99.9 per cent, involved in the sport love the sport and always want the sport conducted on a level playing field.
"However, there are the unscrupulous few who, basically, will seek any opportunity to undermine the industry for there own personal purposes. it is my job and the board's job and indeed the job of everybody in the industry to ensure that they are not successful."
According to the minutes of another board meeting, on June 2 last, it was agreed that the testing of greyhounds on a random basis should be introduce at official qualifying time at licensed stadia.
It is understood that an "integrity" issue at Dundalk, involving the running of an alleged "ringer", has yet to be resolved. The issue was discussed at a meeting of officials in Dundalk on July 28, during which "dissatisfaction" was expressed over the investigation. At that meeting it was said that it was "important for the integrity of greyhound racing in Ireland that the incident be addressed properly".
The Bord na gCon Board meeting on July 8, however, was told that a man who led the investigation in Dundalk did "not have the appetite" to continue.
e felt he was been "messed around", that he had been "obstructed", that people had "avoided him", that he was "going around in circles" and would rather that somebody else would finish the investigation.
However, at a meeting f the Bord na gCon on July 20, the official who carried out the investigation in Dundalk was said to have recommended that "as a result of new evidence" a fresh investigation should begin.
He also recommended that a full inquiry be called where all people involved were requested to attend and if they did not attend that disciplinary action be taken if they were found to be in breach of regulations. The investigation has since reopened.
In relation to another "integrity" allegation at Cork, however, the July 20 meeting was told that an incorrect label was used when a sample was dispatched for analysis.
When the error was realised legal advice was taken which conveyed that a positive sample could not be processed with nor any other subsequent sample taken prior to this "administrative error"
it was noted that the same investigator, who had also conducted the Cork investigation, had not received the legal advice before he could sign off on his report.
The investigator had also recommended that the board decision on the Cork probe be made public along with the legal advice and that the board "accept responsibility for the administrative error".
The Sunday Independent understands that on August 19, a member of the board of Bord na gCon wrote to other members to place on record his "misgivings" at the manner in which the Cork investigation was handled at board level. Other board members, however, are happy with the way it was carried out.
Paddy Power and **** express concerns about races held at two of the country's top courses to industry's state-funded watchdog
TWO of the country's biggest bookmakers have raised questions as to the "integrity" of races at both Shelbourne Park and Harold's Cross greyhound tracks in Dublin, according to the minutes at a recent Bord na gCon board meetings.
The development amounts to an ill-timed new controversy to hit the greyhound industry following two seperate allegations in the past three years in relation to the "integrity" of specific races at the Dundalk and Cork tracks.
The Sunday Independent understands that the Department of Agriculture was recently informed that an investigation into what is alleged to have occurred in Dundalk is to reopen.
An investigation into an allegation in Cork, however, seems set to be closed on account of what is been called an "administrative error".
A meeting of the board of the Bord na gCon, a commercial semi-state body, was told on July 20 last that an "incorrect label was used when a sample was dispatched for analysis".
There is currently some dissent within the board - with the result that a member has circulated a memorandum, dated August 19, to other board members in which he express "misgivings" as to how the Cork allegation is been handled at board level.
Yesterday, however, Bord na gCon chief executive Adrian Neilan defended the boards handling of the issue.
He told the Sunday Independent that "integrity is our business". He Said : "without integrity we do not have an industry or sport"
The "integrity" concerns of both Paddy Power and **** bookmakers, in relation to Shelbourne Park and Harold's Cross and the investigations in Dundalk and Cork, were discussed at meetings of the Bord na gCon board in July 8, 20 and 28 last.
Bord na gCon - the Irish Greyhound Board - which receives state subvention of 12m a year, is responsible for the control and development of the greyhound industry in Ireland.
It regulates all aspects of greyhound racing, including the issuing of permits to bookmakers. It also operates Tote facilities at all greyhound tracks and applies an on-course levy on all bookmakers betting in Ireland.
According to the minutes if the July 8 meeting, two officials from Paddy Power recently advised Bord na gCon at a high level that it proposed to put up a sign to the effect that they would not accept bets at their shops in Shelbourne Park, the country's premier track.
The Irish Greyhound Derby, sponsored by bookmakers Ladbrokes, is to be held at Shelbourne Park on Saturday. At the July 8 meeting, a board members said that, going into the Derby, the "integrity" of the sport was "vitally important".
The Paddy Power representatives are understood to have advised the reason for its decision not to accept bets and outlined four instances and named people allegedly involved.
The board was told that Paddy Power identified a bookmaker, two punters and a person who works at Shelbourne Park when they outlined their concerns.
It is understood that the Bord na gCon board member, who met with the representatives of Paddy Power, told them that he would raise the issue at a meeting of Bord na gCon on July 8.
He asked that the signs not be put up. He subsequently got a telephone call to say that the signs did not go up.
According to the minutes, when the issue was raised at the board meeting on July 8, another member of the board then said there was "no doubt" that there were "instances".
This board official also identified an issue relating to the Harold's Cross track.
It can now be revealed that a representative of **** rang this board member and advised that they had video evidence that money had been put on a specific dog that was scheduled to race at Harold's Cross.
The board member then rang to request that the dog be tested. But 10 minutes after that telephone call the dog was withdrawn.
The board member also provided further specific details of another incident at Harold's Cross last March, which can not be disclosed at this stage for legal reasons.
The board member said at the meeting that there was a "serious situation in relation to integrity issues" at Harold's Cross. However, the board member added this situation "was now happening at Shelbourne Park, which is one of serious concern".
Todays revelations are expeted to cause more controversy for the greyhound industry days before its showpiece Derby.
The revelations also come at a time when the Government is anxious to explore the potentially lucrative development of links between the greyhound industry here and abroad.
Yesterday Mr Neilan said: "we spend 2m a year on integrity programmes. The vast majority, 99.9 per cent, involved in the sport love the sport and always want the sport conducted on a level playing field.
"However, there are the unscrupulous few who, basically, will seek any opportunity to undermine the industry for there own personal purposes. it is my job and the board's job and indeed the job of everybody in the industry to ensure that they are not successful."
According to the minutes of another board meeting, on June 2 last, it was agreed that the testing of greyhounds on a random basis should be introduce at official qualifying time at licensed stadia.
It is understood that an "integrity" issue at Dundalk, involving the running of an alleged "ringer", has yet to be resolved. The issue was discussed at a meeting of officials in Dundalk on July 28, during which "dissatisfaction" was expressed over the investigation. At that meeting it was said that it was "important for the integrity of greyhound racing in Ireland that the incident be addressed properly".
The Bord na gCon Board meeting on July 8, however, was told that a man who led the investigation in Dundalk did "not have the appetite" to continue.
e felt he was been "messed around", that he had been "obstructed", that people had "avoided him", that he was "going around in circles" and would rather that somebody else would finish the investigation.
However, at a meeting f the Bord na gCon on July 20, the official who carried out the investigation in Dundalk was said to have recommended that "as a result of new evidence" a fresh investigation should begin.
He also recommended that a full inquiry be called where all people involved were requested to attend and if they did not attend that disciplinary action be taken if they were found to be in breach of regulations. The investigation has since reopened.
In relation to another "integrity" allegation at Cork, however, the July 20 meeting was told that an incorrect label was used when a sample was dispatched for analysis.
When the error was realised legal advice was taken which conveyed that a positive sample could not be processed with nor any other subsequent sample taken prior to this "administrative error"
it was noted that the same investigator, who had also conducted the Cork investigation, had not received the legal advice before he could sign off on his report.
The investigator had also recommended that the board decision on the Cork probe be made public along with the legal advice and that the board "accept responsibility for the administrative error".
The Sunday Independent understands that on August 19, a member of the board of Bord na gCon wrote to other members to place on record his "misgivings" at the manner in which the Cork investigation was handled at board level. Other board members, however, are happy with the way it was carried out.
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