'Absolute disgrace' - jockeys' body slams BHA over weighing room claims

The Professional Jockeys Association (PJA) launched an extraordinary attack on the BHA and the independent disciplinary panel on Thursday, saying criticism of weighing room culture was “grossly inaccurate” and declaring Robbie Dunne was not “subjected to a remotely fair process” after he was banned for 18 months for bullying Bryony Frost.

David Bass, the new PJA jump jockey president, also rounded on the BHA, labelling it an “absolute disgrace” for stating the culture was “rancid” during Dunne’s hearing, and criticising the organisation’s leadership of the sport and care for both Frost and Dunne.

Frost was found to have been subjected to a campaign of bullying and harassment by Dunne online, on the course and in the weighing room between February 13 and September 3 last year, displaying “behaviour and language that would not be tolerated in any other walk of life or workplace”, according to the disciplinary panel chair Brian Barker QC.

In a statement, the PJA said it had “great sympathy” with Frost and that having “felt bullied” she displayed “courage” to make a complaint to the BHA. It added Dunne’s conduct “fell well short of the standard the PJA expects”.

However, the jockeys’ representative body pulled no punches in attacking the panel's findings that the weighing room culture was “deep-rooted” and “coercive” and the assertion of the BHA that it is “sour and rancid”, which had been put forward in its closing argument.

“The PJA does not accept the disciplinary panel’s findings in relation to the culture within and collective behaviour of the jump jockeys' weighing room,” it said. “It is a grossly inaccurate and wholly unfair representation and a conclusion we believe is at odds with the evidence.

“The PJA and its members are appalled by the BHA’s characterisation of it as ‘rancid’. This, and the BHA’s conduct throughout this process, is incredibly damaging.”

The organisation said it “does not condone bullying or the use of the type of language the panel has concluded was used” and said such behaviour “will not be tolerated”, adding that “everything is not perfect” and that a new code of conduct was operating and that a jockeys’ advisory board had been set up to establish “team leaders” in the weighing room.

It also complained the BHA had ignored repeated requests to improve female changing facilities, saying it was “no coincidence it has only shown an interest in driving change over the last few months in light of this case”.

Robbie Dunne (left): not granted a fair hearing according to the PJACredit: Edward Whitaker

The PJA, which pressed for Dunne’s hearing to be dropped in October after a leak of the BHA’s investigation to The Sunday Times and the belief there were “significant failings” in a "woefully inadequate" investigation, asserted that Dunne had not been given a fair hearing.

“We do not believe Robbie Dunne has been subjected to a remotely fair process,” the PJA said. “Most importantly, the PJA and its board had for some months lost confidence in the disciplinary panel due to a number of serious concerns including the long and striking track record of the panel’s failure to ever criticise the BHA, its case management and its processes.”

The PJA also issued a press release on behalf of an undisclosed number of anonymous female riders who claimed to be “really disappointed with the way us and our male colleagues have all been portrayed by the BHA and subsequently reported in the media”.

It added: “It is sad that whilst one woman is being praised for speaking her truth, the rest of us have been shamed for doing the same. At no point have we condoned what is alleged to have happened – we just haven’t been able to give any evidence to support it as we don’t have any.”

Dunne and Frost were described as “very decent people” by Bass, who succeeded Richard Johnson, a witness for the defence at the hearing, as the PJA’s jump jockey president.

However, he was highly critical of the BHA, and said: “It’s been an absolute disgrace how long this case has gone on. I feel the way it has been handled has been shocking.

“The language used by the representative of the BHA, describing the culture of the weighing room as rancid, is an absolute disgrace. There’s certain things you can use the word rancid for – and our facilities are one of them. It’s very unfair to target the whole weighing room and it is grossly unfair.

“We have been led very poorly. We’re all keen to move forward and improve the sport, but we need strong leadership, which we haven’t had, to do that. I think Bryony and Robbie have been let down by the BHA.”

Read more on this subject:

Robbie Dunne banned for 18 months for bullying and harassing Bryony Frost

Comment: weighing room culture allowed a poisonous situation to fester – it must change

BHA chief rejects 'rancid' picture of weighing room but says racing must change

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