Dog racing chairman denies doping ‘cover-up’
He also denied allegations of a “cover-up”.
Mr Taggart maintained he would not step aside pending an examination of his board’s decision to sack its chief executive, Aidan Tynan.
He strongly defended the decision not to publish the names of two leading trainers whose greyhounds tested positive for illegal red cell booster, Erythropoietin, or EPO, last summer.
The controversy erupted after the sacking of Mr Tynan on Thursday. A week earlier, he wrote to Sports Minister John O’Donoghue complaining Mr Taggart had ensured that the positive EPO tests were suppressed, contrary to its own policies.
One of the trainers, Paul Hennessy from Kilkenny, is regarded as the most successful trainer in the country. His 1,800 winners include ‘Late Late Show’ and ‘Lotto Princess’, a dog owned by a syndicate of politicians, including Mr O’Donoghue.
According to his department, Mr O’Donoghue wrote to Mr Taggart requesting an urgent report when he received the letter on Wednesday. The next day Mr Tynan was sacked by the seven-member board. Defending his role, Mr Taggart denied the issues raised by Mr Tynan’s letter were connected to his dismissal.
Yesterday, it emerged Mr O’Donoghue has also asked the board to explain the circumstances surrounding the dismissal.
The use of drugs in the industry has long caused controversy. Some 95 positive findings were published in 2004, compared to 12 in the horse racing industry.
Two dogs, one trained by Mr Hennessy, the other by John Kiely, tested positive for EPO. The cases came before the board in November. In his letter, Mr Tynan states the trainers admitted EPO was administered to the greyhounds.
“The chairman ensured these findings were not published,” Mr Tynan said.
Mr Taggart argued the decision not to publish was in the interests of the industry.
He said the trainers were reprimanded, fined and prize money forfeited.
“I do not believe it’s a cover-up of mammoth proportions,” he said.
