Greyhound owners pass vote of no confidence in Taggart
The western branch of the Greyhound Owners and Breeders Association passed the vote following a meeting held on Monday to discuss the sport’s recent doping controversy.
The controversy erupted after it emerged that Mr Taggart had authorised the suppression of positive drug findings against trainers Paul Hennessy and John Kiely.
The branch is deeply unhappy over the manner in which Mr Taggart and Bord na gCon handled the issue.
Bord na gCon, or the Irish Greyhound Board, is the semi-State organisation responsible for the regulation of the industry.
The branch publicised its vote of no confidence in Mr Taggart and the board in an advertisement in yesterday’s edition of greyhound newspaper, the Sporting Press.
In the ad, the branch said: “It was agreed that the board failed to adhere to its own anti-doping policies as confirmed by the chairman.”
The branch also criticised the manner in which the board’s chief executive, Aidan Tynan, was removed from office.
Mr Tynan had sent a letter to Sports Minister John O’Donoghue in which he told of the suppression of the drug-test findings.
He was sacked the day after the minister asked Mr Taggart to respond to the letter. Mr Taggart has insisted the two events are not related.
But the branch, while stressing it had not considered the “merits or otherwise” of Mr Tynan’s sacking, said the board had handled the matter in “a deplorable fashion.”
“Consequently, it was agreed that the actions of the board (have) generated an extremely negative perception of the greyhound industry amongst its own patrons and the general public alike, and that the consequent knock-on effects which may arise due to these actions have the potential to damage the industry.”
The advert carried the names of branch chairwoman Pamela Holian, secretary Brigid Frank and treasurer Kieran Prendiville. Ms Frank last night confirmed the validity of the advert.
Mr Taggart, meanwhile, refused to take questions from the Irish Examiner yesterday.
He said he would not make any further public comment until an inquiry ordered by the minister is completed.
