The BHA, working together with racing’s participants, is responsible for ensuring the highest levels of integrity in our sport by keeping racing fair and clean. We aim to support all participants to comply with the Rules of Racing (‘the Rules’), whilst dealing appropriately and effectively with all breaches of the Rules. The integrity teams work across the whole country, on and off racecourses, as well as from the BHA office in London.
Roles and responsibilities within the team include;
- Monitoring all races and analysing betting markets, liaising with the Raceday Stewards and sharing concerns with licensed betting operators.
- At the racecourse, Equine Welfare and Integrity Officers maintain the integrity of the stable area, identify horses on arrival and as they leave the stables, conduct bag searches and collect samples from horses selected for testing.
- An experienced team of Stable Inspectors conduct inspections of all licensed training yards to ensure that the highest standards of facilities are being maintained. Inspections include completing an inventory of all medications held on the training yard.
- Investigating Officers carry out investigations when a breach of the Rules of Racing is reported or suspected.
- Our Intelligence Team receives, records, analyses and assesses all information that is provided to us and co-ordinates the activities of the integrity teams.
- The Licensing Team is responsible for the licensing and permitting of all racing’s participants – trainers, jockeys, amateur riders, agents and valets – and oversees the registration of owners and stable staff.
- Raceday stewards ensure the Rules of Racing are complied with and have overall responsibility for race regulation on behalf of BHA
- The Regulatory Department, comprising of the Disciplinary and Compliance teams, uphold and ensure compliance with the Rules of Racing. This includes providing legal advice to the integrity teams. They assess all documentation compiled as part of an investigation and consider whether charges for breaches of the Rules should be brought. If charges are brought, the team will draft the case papers and conduct the disciplinary hearing before the Independent Judicial Panel.
How to report an integrity concern
The way to pass any information, integrity concern or suspected breach of the Rules of Racing to the BHA is via RaceWISE, who can be contacted via email, text or phonecall. RaceWISE is managed on behalf of the BHA by Crimestoppers, who assure anonymity to the caller and will pass on the information via a secure portal.
Examples of the types of information which could be relevant includes; safeguarding, horse welfare and whereabouts, hidden ownership, drugs and alcohol abuse, corrupt approaches, inside information, betting corruption.
Our Intelligence Team are keen to engage in a confidential manner with anyone who wants to provide any information to us.
The following two reporting points are available under the banner of RaceWISE;
- telephone 08000852580. Reports can be made anonymously or you can choose to leave your contact details.
- Link to an Online Reporting Form
Licensing
Licensing is the ‘gateway’ into the sport of horseracing and all applications are considered by the Licensing Team. Any person who applies for a Licence, Permit or Registration must meet the relevant established criteria. An applicant’s experience and qualifications are taken into consideration, together with their overall suitability.
For example;
- for Licensed Trainers; suitability considerations will include their honesty and integrity, as well as their business competence and financial planning;
- for Professional Jockeys; their honesty, integrity and riding ability.
In some cases, a decision as to whether an application should be approved is referred for the consideration of the Licensing Committee. The Committee is independent from BHA and sits only when required to hear cases which are referred to it.
Once granted, individuals must continue to meet the required standards and expectations of BHA in order to remain licensed, permitted or registered. If it is believed that an individual no longer meets the suitability criteria, BHA may refer the matter to the Licensing Committee for objections, conditions or restrictions to be considered.
Investigation charter
The BHA Investigation Charter and Guidance Note is provided to anyone involved in any way in an investigation. The Charter aims to provide clear guidance as to what a person should expect during the course of the investigation and what happens once it is completed. This includes any initial contact, through potential interviews, to the stage where it may be passed to the BHA’s Regulatory Department. As a result, participants will be provided with information regarding their rights and obligations under the rules, what can be expected of the BHA staff who they will come into contact with, as well as setting out guidelines regarding the possible length of investigations and the regularity of updates they will receive.
See here for the BHA Investigation Charter