BHA’S quest for harmony is far from over

French may have backed down on interference but Havlin case shows injustice is still rife there

Harmonisation. The irony will not have been lost on the British Horseracing Authority last week that the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities finally ‘harmonised’ the French into abandoning their ridiculous interference rules; no longer will we have to watch worthy British winners getting disqualified for sneezing at another horse five furlongs from the finish.

From now on, the more pragmatic approach that is practised in Britain, Ireland and Asia will be adopted by France; whereby a winner remains the winner in spite of a coming together with another horse, so long as they are the worthy winner.

Quite why it has taken the French (and the Germans, but in the context of international racing they barely count) so long to come to their senses is anyone’s guess.

But I digress; it was ironical timing because within hours of that decision jockey Robert Havlin was having his first ride since France Galop and its medical commission took away his licence for eight months and 10 days: a punishment that has to be automatically reciprocated in this country under an international agreement.

The ban was a result of a ‘failed’ urine test; but the protocol of that test was compromised, its findings deeply flawed and the resultant ban should only have been six months even from those biased and un-harmonised enough to have accepted the result.

If one compares how a similar circumstance was recently dealt with in Britain, it is not hard to appreciate why the inept French need a stronger dose of harmonisation way beyond this week’s teaspoonful; not that their vanity will take it.

On March 29, 2017, a jockey who can remain nameless for the purpose of this argument, supplied a urine sample at Southwell. On April 6, it was reported to the BHA that his sample contained a metabolite of cocaine. On April 7, the BHA stood the jockey down with immediate effect for not only his own safety, but the safety of others. He did not ask for a B sample to be tested and has subsequently been found guilty.

He received a longer ban than Havlin – because it was his second offence in a couple of years – but the ban commenced on the day of the offence and ends accordingly.

Compare the efficiency and fairness of that case with the un-harmonised behaviour of the French towards Havlin. He supplied a urine test at Saint Cloud on Oct 30, 2016, but it was not until Jan 24, 2017, that France Galop’s medical commission stood him down, also for his safety and to protect others. So what exactly were they doing for the 85 days in between; clearly not worrying about anyone’s wellbeing?

On Feb 21 the French banned Havlin for six months, the standard penalty in France for a first time offence for cocaine. The reasons for that being such an outrageous decision were reported here in April.

Havlin appealed that judgment on April 3, convinced that sense would prevail, even though the French have a sinister, insidious device to intimidate those with the temerity to appeal. They delay the start of a ban until any appeal has failed, even though their medical commission has effectively started the ban by previously removing the jockey’s licence. It really is hard to avoid the reek of injustice.

Finally, Havlin had his licence restored last week. The fact that Patrick Milmo QC, the chairman of the BHA’S independent appeal panel had to reciprocate the ‘extra’ two months and 10 days of Havlin’s ban reduced his role to being nothing more than an emasculated performing seal.

One would imagine, therefore, that Milmo will be as keen as anyone for the BHA to be pushing hard at issues such as this, that need to be harmonised, if that is the verb they wish to use. After all, it can’t be much fun walking around balancing a ball on the end of your nose.