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Keeping Racing Clean
Horseracing is, in general, a clean sport and the BHA is committed to ensuring that it remains so.
In these pages we address some of the key questions and challenges the Authority faces in striving to keep racing free of corruption and malpractice:
How Clean is Racing?
Racing is inextricably linked to betting and where there is money there is always going to be someone trying to gain an unfair advantage over others.
On occasion this may manifest itself through the misuse of privileged information (Inside Information) or, worse, corrupters trying to influence the outcome of races.
However, the vast majority of races are run within the rules and our sport is as clean as it has ever been.
Working with the Betting Industry
Crucial to the fight against corruption and malpractice is our work with the betting industry.
In recent years we have established a good working relationship with all of the established bookmakers and their umbrella association (Association of British Bookmakers). The betting industry, like the BHA, wants racing to be clean and willingly share information whenever they see suspicious betting activity.
Recent years have also seen the emergence of betting exchanges, which offer a new and innovative way to bet from the comfort of your own home. However, it is also a fact that betting exchanges provide an additional opportunity for potential cheats.
The BHA acknowledges that exchanges are here to stay and we continue to work closely with them to maximise their contribution in the fight against cheating. The leading exchange firms are in constant communication with our Integrity Services Department, providing up-to-date information on the betting markets and, where necessary, accurate audit trails back to cheats.
Our close working relationship with the betting exchanges has undoubtedly increased our ability to investigate and discipline those involved in corruption and malpractice. Recently this has included banishing some people from our sport for many years.
Our partnership with the Gambling Commission
Close liaison and co-operation between the Gambling Commission and the Integrity Services Department is clearly crucial and we are engaged in a comprehensive consultation program with the Commission on all aspects of information sharing and integrity in sports betting.
The Commission’s primary purpose is to regulate all forms of gambling in Great Britain. While responsibility for maintaining the integrity of racing will remain with the Authority, the Commission will become active where a threat to the integrity of a sport involves betting in Great Britain and particularly when the holder of a licence issued by the Commission may be involved.
Racing’s powers over non-licensed persons are limited. Everyone – whether licensed by the British Horseracing Authority or not - needs to be aware of the new criminal offence of 'Cheat' with possible prosecutions under Section 42 of the Gambling Act. Essentially the new offence means that a person who cheats in betting is liable to prosecution under criminal law. We have no power to investigate criminal offences but will continue to regulate our sport under our Rules and refer matters to the Commission and the Police where it is deemed appropriate.
Racing was the first sport to have a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ with the betting exchanges and traditional bookmakers and this voluntary sharing of information has played a significant part in the fight against corruption in racing.
What other outside agencies do we do with?
Much of our key partnership work is with agencies outside of the industry. Aside from the Gambling Commission, close working relationships have also been developed with the Police, Trading Standards, Serious & Organised Crime Agency, HM Revenue & Customs, and the UK Border Agency.
The Department has also given advice and guidance to a number of other sports and hosted representatives from the Greyhound Board of GB, British Equestrian Federation, Rugby League, FIFA, UEFA, ATP (Tennis), WTA (Tennis), UK Sport and the 2012 London Olympic Organising Committee.
How does the Integrity Services team help to help keep racing clean?
In 2009 the Department carried out 110 investigations for a range of alleged breaches of the Rules of Racing, these included enquiries into suspicious betting activity (including the misuse of inside information), positive drug tests on horses and jockeys, financial irregularities, assaults and a number of other general disputes.
We are conscious that Investigations in the past have taken too long to conclude and future investigations are now more focused and subject to regular review by the Head of Investigations. We now aim to conclude all investigations within 12 months.
The BHA now has a fully resourced Intelligence Unit managed by our Head of Intelligence and is reinforced by sophisticated intelligence and analytical databases. This unit is akin to a Police Intelligence Unit.
Our two Betting Investigators monitor betting markets in real time, seven-days-a-week for suspicious betting activity. They are in daily contact with both the established bookmakers and betting exchanges, sharing information as and when necessary.
We have recruited a Raceday Integrity Co-ordinator who will work closely with the Betting Investigators. This person will act as a key link between Raceday Stipendiary Stewards and the Handicappers, reviewing live racing and carrying out post-race analysis and, where necessary, following up any concerns.
Weighing Room Security Officers are also an integral part of the Integrity Services team with the specific role of maintaining the integrity of the Weighing Room and stable areas on racedays.
Improving information sharing across the organisation and the industry in general has resulted in a substantial increase in the number of intelligence reports received. In 2009 a record number (4,297) of these reports were dealt with, resulting in a 59% increase in the amount of intelligence from 2008 to 2009.
The department now works much more closely with the Equine Science & Welfare Department and, in particular, now adopts an intelligence led approach to testing in training, pre-race and post-race testing of horses.
Weighing Room Security Officers are also an integral part of the Integrity Services team with the specific role of maintaining the integrity of the Weighing Room and stable areas on racedays. They also play a key role in providing usable intelligence.
Racestraight
The British Horseracing Authority, in October 2007, launched an enhanced partnership with Crimestoppers in the name of Racestraight.
The aim of this anonymous reporting line is to encourage both the public and the racing industry to come forward with information about wrong doing in our sport.
We are in the process of creating a RaceStraight micro-site, allowing people to anonymously report information online
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