Jockey Club boss leaves over bullying and racism claims
Daily Telegraph Reporter
THE chief executive who was hired to modernise The Jockey Club is standing down after a review found evidence to support allegations of bullying towards colleagues and alleged inappropriate racist comments.
Delia Bushell was one of 19 witnesses interviewed as part of a review into allegations about her conduct and the findings made it “untenable” for her to stay in the role, the organisation’s board said.
The former BT Sport and Sky executive was described as a “first-class appointment” when given the job little more than a year ago. The Jockey Club said an independent barrister had submitted a detailed report to a sub-committee of the board last week.
That sub-committee, which includes Baroness Harding, the Tory peer, decided there was a basis for disciplinary action against Ms Bushell, including on the grounds of gross misconduct.
Ms Bushell tendered her resignation at lunchtime yesterday after being told earlier this week that the Jockey Club’s board of stewards had decided to dismiss her from the organisation.
Yesterday, she spoke of “collusion by a number of male witnesses, all senior executives in the Jockey Club”.
She said: “This grievance process, and the management of the broader situation created by it, have been fundamentally mishandled by the board of stewards. The board’s engagement with me has been disingenuous and focused on protecting its own interest at my expense.
“The board purports to be upholding fairness in its management of the grievance, but this is not the case: the process … was both flawed and biased.”