‘Seminal moment’ for racing as jockey banned for bullying
ROBBIE DUNNE has been banned from racing for 18 months — three of which have been suspended — after being found guilty of a sustained campaign of bullying and harassment against fellow jockey Bryony Frost.
Following a six-day British Horseracing Authority disciplinary hearing, an independent panel yesterday found Dunne in breach of the four most serious charges of conduct prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct and good reputation of racing.
The 36-year-old jockey’s suspension, which is effective immediately, could see him miss as many as 450 rides and lose out on almost £80,000 in riding fees alone.
Brian Barker, the panel’s chair, said Dunne was guilty of ‘distasteful targeting to deliberate harassment, both on and off the course, and occasional cases of dangerous bullying’.
He also expressed ‘real concern’ over a ‘deep-rooted and coercive’ weighing-room culture ‘not conducive to the good health and the development of modern-day race-riding’.
The BHA said the ‘groundbreaking’ case, which came about after female jockey Frost raised a complaint about Dunne’s conduct last year, should act as a ‘catalyst for further change’.
BHA chief executive Julie Harrington admitted: ‘This is potentially a seminal moment for the sport. Conduct of this nature simply cannot be tolerated in any environment.’
However, the Professional Jockeys Association (PJA) hit back last night saying the panel’s findings regarding the weighing room were ‘grossly inaccurate and wholly unfair’ and said the BHA’s description of it as ‘rancid’ was ‘incredibly damaging’.
Dunne, who has seven days to appeal, was present in the hearing room in London and raised his eyebrows when told of the length of his suspension, before bowing his head.
Giving his penalty decision, Barker told him: ‘A professional athlete should behave in a professional way. This was a deliberate targeting of a colleague whose vulnerabilities you exploited.
‘Your behaviour was not appropriate in an equal opportunities sport and would not be tolerated in any other walk of life or work place.’
The three-person panel found Frost, who rode a winner at Warwick just three minutes before the verdict was given, had been ‘truthful, careful and compelling’ when giving evidence.
Barker said that by complaining to the BHA, the 26-year-old had ‘broken the code, knowing that isolation and rejection by some was inevitable’.
In a statement after the verdict, Frost said: ‘I would like to thank every individual, including the racing public, that has supported me not only during the last couple of weeks but throughout.’
Dunne, who was initially charged with seven breaches of the rules of racing last month, was found guilty on the four counts of conduct prejudicial to racing, while the three lesser charges of violent or improper conduct were set aside.
When delivering the guilty verdict, Barker said: ‘We are unable to accept Mr Dunne’s sweep of denials, criticisms and his reasoning.
‘A man, who in the view of one of his own witnesses was a “p***-taker”, and who regarded himself as one of the elders of the weighing room and someone who expected his view to be heeded.’
As well as the overall charge of bullying and harassing a fellow jockey between February and September last year, the other charges related to incidents at the racecourse of Stratford on July 8, Uttoxeter on August 17 and Southwell on September 3.
One of the most serious allegations, and the one which led to Frost making a complaint, was that Dunne threatened to put his rival jockey ‘through a wing’ — the side of a fence — after a race at Southwell on September 3 last year in which his horse was killed.
Dunne said in the hearing that this comment was a ‘figure of speech’ but the panel ruled: ‘We find that words used on September 3 were as a promise to cause real harm that were over and above the usual jockey mantra of “murdering”.’
On other occasions, it was claimed Dunne used misogynistic language towards Frost, including calling her a ‘f ****** whore’, a ‘f ****** slag’ and a ‘dangerous c***’. Frost also accused Dunne of ‘opening his towel up and shaking himself’ in front of her in the men’s changing room.
Reacting to the verdict last night, BHA chief Harrington called for more whistleblowers to come forward, saying: ‘I would like to praise Bryony Frost for having the courage and raising her concerns. Sport needs brave people such as her if change is ever going to be made.
‘We believe this is an important moment for our entire industry. Anyone who has been on the receiving end of poor conduct should come forward and make us aware.’
However, questions were already being asked last night about racing’s willingness to change following comments from riders and the PJA, who claimed Dunne was not subjected to a ‘remotely fair process’.
In a statement, the riders’ union said: ‘Bryony felt bullied. It certainly took courage to go through the process she has and we do not doubt the isolation she has felt.
‘All that said, the PJA does not accept the panel’s findings in relation to the culture within and collective behaviour of the jump jockeys weighing room. It is a grossly inaccurate and wholly unfair representation of the weighing-room and a conclusion we believe is at odds with the evidence presented.
‘Furthermore, the PJA and its members are appalled by the BHA’s characterisation of the weighing room culture as “rancid”, made via their advocate and therefore presumably under instruction. This and the BHA’s conduct throughout this process is incredibly damaging.’
The PJA also released a statement from a group of anonymous female jockeys, who said the BHA have ‘failed’ them and used the ‘rest of the weighing room as scapegoats to conceal the fact they have let female riders down’.