Former civil servant to examine greyhound doping controversy

A FORMER senior civil servant will carry out an independent assessment into Irish Greyhound Board’s doping controls and the manner in which its board dismissed its chief executive last week.

Sports Minister John O’Donoghue has asked Tim Dalton, the former secretary general of the Department of Justice, to examine the controversy.

The announcement came less than 24 hours after the minister received a report from the chairman of Bord na gCon, Paschal Taggart.

Mr O’Donoghue had earlier requested Mr Taggart to respond to a letter from the former chief executive Aidan Tynan which stated that a committee headed by the board chairman had suppressed the publication of two positive tests for the red-blood cell booster, EPO.

Mr O’Donoghue also wanted Mr Taggart to outline the circumstances surrounding the dismissal of Mr Tynan.

“The greyhound industry is an important national industry and its continued well-being is a matter of concern to me, to Bord na gCon, and to the many people who own and train dogs or who follow the sport,” said the minister.

“Members of the public must have confidence in the industry’s standing and its operation if it is to continue to enjoy its current substantial level of support. Accordingly, the issues which have come into the public domain in recent days merit independent assessment.”

Fine Gael spokesperson on sport Jimmy Deenihan yesterday welcomed the minister’s decision to commission an independent report on the controversy.

He also called on Mr O’Donoghue to publish the findings as quickly as possible.

The North Kerry TD also argued that legislation was required to set up an independent doping testing and control entity for the greyhound industry that would be separate from Bord na gCon.

“I intend to bring forward legislation to form an independent Control and Appeals Board to ensure such a controversy doesn’t happen again,” said Mr Deenihan.