The National Horseracing Authority has come under the spotlight for what has been labelled a poorly worded and irresponsible media release.
Following numerous complaints from its members, Chairman Tony Rivalland says that the South African National Trainers Association has strongly condemned the irresponsible manner in which the Lunga Gila release was issued.
SANTA Chairman Tony Rivalland spells out the unhappiness
The national trainer body believes it is incumbent on the racing regulator to ensure communication for public consumption regarding any licensed member or privilege holder does not have any nefarious, prejudiced or derogatory connotations in it, as this not only brings racing into disrepute but potentially harms the reputation of the parties involved.
SANTA says that the initial press release issued by the NHA around the licencing suspension of trainer L Gila was poorly worded and irresponsible, in that it intimated Mr Gila had been implicated in an unlawful activity relating to the administration of medication to his horses, and as a result had relinquished his license.
While a letter was sent to Mr Gila many hours later by the NHA GM, Mr Moodley, with the explanation provided that the term was apparently ‘generic’ and should have been taken to mean ‘interim suspension’, this was only after he questioned the wording of the press release which he vehemently objected to as he had not relinquished his license.
The board of SANTA concur with the disgust expressed by many members as the implication of Mr Gila’s possible involvement in a serious infringement of the rules was evident because the statement did not clarify that the rules of the NHA do not provide for a license to be granted to any person if they are unable to provide to the licensing committee the location of stabling and training facilities to be utilised which is acceptable to them.
In this instance, Mr Gila believed it to be in his best interests to cancel his lease at Randjesfontein in order to sever the toxic and irregular relationship which had developed between himself and his sole client, who he quite correctly believed was acting in serious contravention of the rules, potentially causing him to be implicated therein.
What Mr Gila told the Sporting Post
The board of SANTA strongly condemns the irresponsible manner in which the release was issued and believe it is incumbent on the regulator to ensure communication for public consumption regarding any licensed member or privilege holder does not have any nefarious, prejudiced or derogatory connotations in it as this not only brings racing into disrepute but potentially harms the reputation of the parties involved.
In this instance, an interim suspension was normal practice until the stabling matter was cleared to their satisfaction and this fact should have been clearly stated.
Lunga Gila is well-respected by his fellow colleagues and recognised as a talented and hardworking person and this depiction could be damaging to him, particularly while in the process of trying to establish his training career.
- Statement issued by SANTA Chairman Tony Rivalland on Saturday 3 December 2022
