Jockey club claims Panorama is biased

Officials at the Jockey Club have expressed their amazement that important information concerning the BBC’s two main witnesses is set to be left out of tomorrow night’s Panorama programme entitled "The Corruption Of Racing".

And they believe the broadcast will be biased against them.

In a press screening on Friday, racing’s regulatory body came in for severe criticism in the programme with the Jockey Club’s former head of security Roger Buffham and ex-jockey Dermot Browne acting as consultants to the BBC.

Jockey Club representatives were not invited to the preview of the show and their public relations director John Maxse today said: “We haven’t seen the programme which puts us at a disadvantage but if reports are right it is astonishing that the BBC omit to inform viewers vital and relevant facts about their two principal witnesses.

“First and foremost they say nothing about the circumstances under which Roger Buffham left the Jockey Club. He left after an investigation into allegations of gross misconduct.

“And secondly they say nothing about Dermot Browne being banned from racing by the Jockey Club 10 years ago.

“Omissions of that magnitude are to me an indication of the bias of the programme.”