Dog doping row - Taggart should stand aside in row

WITH the murky world of Irish greyhound racing mired in controversy after the sacking of the Irish Greyhound Board’s chief executive, allegedly for blowing the whistle in a doping row, yesterday’s call for an independent body to police the lucrative sport warrants serious consideration.

The bona fides of the industry are now dogged by uncertainty following the abrupt sacking of executive Aidan Tynan by wealthy businessman Paschal Taggart, chairman of the State’s greyhound racing board.

At the heart of their bitter feud is a letter to Sports Minister John O’Donoghue from Mr Tynan outlining his concerns over the board’s alleged refusal to publish details of two incidents in which greyhounds were given the performance-enhancing drug EPO.