Paul Struthers, Head of Communications for the British Horseracing Authority, said:
鈥淎s this case conclusively highlights, both the Disciplinary Panel and Appeal Board are independent of the Authority and reach their own conclusions based on the evidence and material presented to them.聽
鈥淭he Authority鈥檚 role is to set the Rules and Guideline Penalties and then charge and prosecute when necessary.聽
鈥淚n this case, we maintain it was absolutely right to charge Mr Findlay; he had clearly breached the Rules, despite having previously been reminded of them and his responsibilities. The Rules must apply equally to everyone. As the Appeal Board themselves say, 鈥榠t is hard to envisage any excuses for its breach in future.鈥�
鈥淭he Appeal Board makes detailed reference to the existing rule, and we believe upholds the requirement for the rule as it stands.聽 Disciplinary Panels have at their disposal flexibility with regards to penalty and a vast range for this offence itself 鈥� three months to ten years.聽 They are guidelines and the Panel is fully entitled to go outside those guidelines when they feel it is justified, as they have done in the past.聽 Consequently we have no intention of amending this rule in any material way.
鈥淭he Disciplinary Panel gave detailed and substantive reasons for their decision as have the Appeal Board, and as always we respect and accept both decisions.鈥�
