Members are reminded of some recent changes to the Australian Rules of Racing which came into effect on 1 June 2015.
AR.175AA – REPORTING OF CORRUPT APPROACHES
The Rules of Racing did not place any obligation upon participants to report ‘corrupt’ approaches or invitations made to the participant which would lead to a breach of the Rules.
Therefore, a new rule was approved and inserted into the Rules of Racing to require all persons to report approaches to engage in conduct which would constitute a corrupt or dishonest-type conduct, conduct prejudicial to the interests of racing, or conduct which could constitute an act of cruelty.
AR.175AA is as follows
Where a person is, directly or indirectly, approached or requested to engage in any conduct which could constitute:
corrupt, dishonest, fraudulent, or improper conduct in connection with racing;
conduct which is detrimental to the integrity, interest and/or welfare of racing; or
an act of cruelty to a horse,
he or she must provide full details of the approach or request to the Stewards as soon as is practicable.
A person who fails to comply with AR.175AA(1) may be penalised.
AR.175(qq) – Inappropriate Social Media and AR.175(z) – Anti-racial vilification
New Rules AR.175(qq) and (z), now allows stewards to penalise licensed participants for detrimental comments or actions they may make on social media or elsewhere about others in the sport.
The rule brings together the policies currently in operation in various states and allows stewards, under AR.175 to penalise:
(qq) Any person who in their opinion, is guilty of engaging in the publishing or posting on any social media platform or channel any material, content or comment that is obscene, offensive, defamatory, racist, threatening, harassing, discriminating or abusive to any other person or entity involved in the racing industry.
(z) Any person who engages in any conduct which threatens, disparages, vilifies or insults another person (the ‘other person’) on any basis, including but not limited to, a person’s race, religion, colour, descent, and/or national or ethnic origin, special ability/disability or sexual orientation, preference or identity, while the other person is acting in the course of his or her duties in the racing industry.