Colin Phillips
At the Start
Story on the Guardian site:
The whip rules controversy claimed its first victim at the British Horseracing Authority on Friday night when Paul Struthers, its head of communications, announced his departure. No mention was made of the whip rules in a short statement announcing the news but it is not expected that the BHA will deny the connection.
"I feel that it is time for me to move on to the next step in my career, which I hope will continue to be within the sport," Struthers said in a statement released by the BHA after 6pm, apparently timed so that coverage of the news would be kept to a minimum. "I would like to thank everyone I've worked with, both at the BHA and within racing, and hope to renew acquaintances in new challenges."
Paul Roy, the BHA chairman, said: "Paul has made a significant contribution to the BHA and racing generally, but decided that it is the right time for him to move on and seek a new challenge. On behalf of the board I would like to thank Paul for his efforts. We wish him well for the future."
Struthers had held the title of head of communications since February 2010 but had been the principal spokesman for racing's regulator for several years before that, having joined the British Horseracing Board in 2001. He has an excellent reputation among the media representatives with whom he has worked for his deep knowledge of the BHA's work and for his work-rate, making himself available even when it would have been perfectly reasonable to have turned off his phone.
However, his position was damaged by the month's worth of negative headlines which followed the introduction of racing's new whip rules on 10 October. A whispering campaign against him from within the BHA appears to have begun while he was on two weeks' paternity leave, from which he returned less than a fortnight ago. Rumours have been in circulation for more than a week that he would pay with his job for the whip debacle.
It is presumed that Struthers contributed to the 10-month review that led to the whip rules, though the extent of his involvement is not know. He was certainly not one of its chief architects, an honour shared by Jamie Stier, the BHA's director of regulation, and Tim Morris, director of equine science and welfare.
One opening within the sport which Struthers could consider is the post of chief executive of the Professional Jockeys Association, advertised this week. The incumbent, Kevin Darley, has been planning to step down for some months but stayed on to deal with the whip crisis.
Struthers' departure leaves the BHA with a very small team handling media inquiries at a critical time, with the result of a major corruption inquiry expected shortly. It is believed that the process of recruiting his replacement has not begun and that there is no agreement yet on how that task should be approached.
The whip rules controversy claimed its first victim at the British Horseracing Authority on Friday night when Paul Struthers, its head of communications, announced his departure. No mention was made of the whip rules in a short statement announcing the news but it is not expected that the BHA will deny the connection.
"I feel that it is time for me to move on to the next step in my career, which I hope will continue to be within the sport," Struthers said in a statement released by the BHA after 6pm, apparently timed so that coverage of the news would be kept to a minimum. "I would like to thank everyone I've worked with, both at the BHA and within racing, and hope to renew acquaintances in new challenges."
Paul Roy, the BHA chairman, said: "Paul has made a significant contribution to the BHA and racing generally, but decided that it is the right time for him to move on and seek a new challenge. On behalf of the board I would like to thank Paul for his efforts. We wish him well for the future."
Struthers had held the title of head of communications since February 2010 but had been the principal spokesman for racing's regulator for several years before that, having joined the British Horseracing Board in 2001. He has an excellent reputation among the media representatives with whom he has worked for his deep knowledge of the BHA's work and for his work-rate, making himself available even when it would have been perfectly reasonable to have turned off his phone.
However, his position was damaged by the month's worth of negative headlines which followed the introduction of racing's new whip rules on 10 October. A whispering campaign against him from within the BHA appears to have begun while he was on two weeks' paternity leave, from which he returned less than a fortnight ago. Rumours have been in circulation for more than a week that he would pay with his job for the whip debacle.
It is presumed that Struthers contributed to the 10-month review that led to the whip rules, though the extent of his involvement is not know. He was certainly not one of its chief architects, an honour shared by Jamie Stier, the BHA's director of regulation, and Tim Morris, director of equine science and welfare.
One opening within the sport which Struthers could consider is the post of chief executive of the Professional Jockeys Association, advertised this week. The incumbent, Kevin Darley, has been planning to step down for some months but stayed on to deal with the whip crisis.
Struthers' departure leaves the BHA with a very small team handling media inquiries at a critical time, with the result of a major corruption inquiry expected shortly. It is believed that the process of recruiting his replacement has not begun and that there is no agreement yet on how that task should be approached.
