Reactions to the outcome of the jockey bullying case in Britain have run the gamut from unwavering support of the accuser, female rider Bryony Frost, to a hard-lined denial that anything is wrong, either with the behavior of the now-banned Robbie Dunne or the culture of the jockeys' room itself.
Racing Post editor Tom Kerr wrote:
“The virtues of the weighing room, although real, have become distorted to the extent they have allowed something awful to take place. A preoccupation with self-sufficiency has allowed a poisonous relationship to fester like an untreated wound; an earthy and unaffected approach to banter has failed to distinguish between bickering and bullying; unwavering support for one's colleagues has become an inability to call out or even recognize wrongdoing.
“It is understandable that those who treasure the weighing room feel defensive of it, but we must hope senior riders past and present can find the perspective to recognize that whatever their affection for the man, Dunne's behavior was indefensible and the culture that permitted it was unhealthy. They should recognize that participating in a dangerous sport does not give license to ignore modern standards of behavior. They should make amends with Frost. And the code of silence must be replaced by a robust and respected code of conduct.
“In bringing and persevering with this case, [Frost] has shown remarkable resilience and courage. She dared to break the omerta of the weighing room, she refused to be cowed by her tormentor or the closed ranks of her colleagues, and she put herself in the firing line when it would have been simpler, and so much easier, to keep her head down.
“Should this case bring about the change it ought to, Britain's most successful female jump jockey will have, at considerable cost to herself, done her sport a tremendous service.”
On Thursday, the British Horseracing Authority issued an 18-month ban of jockey Robbie Dunne for conduct the BHA considered prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct, and good reputation of horseracing by bullying and harassing a fellow licensed jockey, Bryony Frost.
In issuing the ruling, disciplinary panel chair Brian Barker said: “The tenor and type of language that we find was used towards Ms. Frost is totally unacceptable, whatever the frustrations about her style and whatever the habits of the weighing room. They fall squarely within the ambit of the prohibition set out in the rule.
“Secondly, in reviewing the evidence given and their approach by jockeys of repute as well as by the valets – who probably find themselves in a difficult position – we have real concern that what was referred to by Mr. Weston as the 'weighing room culture' is deep-rooted and coercive, and in itself is not conducive to the good health and the development of modern day race-riding.”
The Professional Jockeys' Association, of which both Frost and Dunne are members, released a statement shortly after Dunne's ban was handed down. Portions of that statement include:
“We do not believe Robbie Dunne has been subjected to a remotely fair process.”
and:
“The PJA does not accept the disciplinary panel's findings in relation to the culture within and collective behavior of the jump jockeys' weighing room. It is a grossly inaccurate and wholly unfair representation and a conclusion we believe is at odds with the evidence presented.
“The PJA and its members are appalled by the BHA's characterization of it as 'rancid.' This, and the BHA's conduct throughout this process, is incredibly damaging.”
PJA chairman Jon Holmes spoke to Racing TV about the case:
“I understand how it's been portrayed in the media and so on, and I understand the reasons behind that. Of course I do, I'd be stupid if I didn't.
“What I can tell you is that in the main these are professional, hard-working, decent people and there is obviously, in this case, there may be isolated incidents. I'm not going to go into that because there may be an appeal going, and we also have to look forward to where we're going to.
“I accept that she felt bullied, absolutely, and as I say, this is subject to appeal, so I can't go into the case, but of course I accept it.”
The PJA also issued a press release on behalf of an undisclosed number of anonymous female riders:
“Really disappointed with the way us and our male colleagues have all been portrayed by the BHA and subsequently reported in the media.
“It is sad that whilst one woman is being praised for speaking her truth, the rest of us have been shamed for doing the same. At no point have we condoned what is alleged to have happened – we just haven't been able to give any evidence to support it as we don't have any.”
Greg Wood wrote at The Guardian:
“Well before the verdict arrived in the British Horseracing Association's case alleging bullying and harassment of Bryony Frost by her fellow jockey Robbie Dunne, the battle lines were already being drawn for the aftermath.
“These clearly placed many – and conceivably the overwhelming majority – of Frost's weighing-room colleagues on one side, with the full support of retired champions including Richard Johnson, who gave evidence in Dunne's defense, and Tony McCoy. McCoy issued a tweet in support of weighing-room valets on Tuesday, shortly after it emerged that three valets who also gave evidence had refused to work for Frost at Fontwell that afternoon. His colleagues on ITV Racing, Alice Plunkett and (former jockey) Luke Harvey had already pre-judged the decision on the channel's Opening Show program by repeatedly insisting it had 'nothing to do with sexism.'
“The full extent of the fury – or perhaps, more accurately, the denial – within the weighing room became apparent only on Thursday, however, when the Professional Jockeys Association responded to the panel's finding that all charges against Dunne had been proved, and that a weighing-room culture of self-policing disputes 'is deep-rooted and coercive, and in itself not conducive to the good health and development of modern-day race-riding.' The PJA's statement was as willfully incendiary as it was sullenly defensive.
“The PJA's statement acknowledged only that Frost had 'felt bullied' by Dunne, not that she had been bullied, as the panel decided. Regardless of the possibility of an appeal, at best this showed an astonishing lack of awareness of how its choice of words would be perceived.”
Speaking after riding at winner at Newcastle on Thursday, jockey Alain Cawley told Sky Sports Racing:
“I think Robbie has been hard done by, (being) found guilty of everything he has.
“I've been in the weighing room a long time and I've never heard anyone say (anything) but how good it was in there (for all the) young people coming along.
“Going back when all the older boys were there, especially when I was starting – it helped me out.
“For me the weighing room is a great place to be. I haven't heard many people say that it wasn't.
“I feel sorry for Robbie. Hopefully it'll get looked into again – I don't think it's right.
“We're all adults, or the majority of us are adults. We've all had tussles and bustles about people – how many married people go home and swear at each other and have rows every night of the week.
“Swearing is part of life and it's a tough sport we're in. We risk our lives when we go out there.
“Foul language is used everywhere. I'm not saying it's right to use it in certain ways, but we're grown people – men and women in there. We're tough people to be out there in that game.
“It's a tough sport, but it's for everyone – whoever wants to come into the game, we're open to everyone coming into the game.”
Newmarket-based trainer Gay Kelleway, the first woman to ride a winner at Royal Ascot, told Sky Sports Racing:
“This is 40 years too late, this is what I had to suffer back in the day when I was riding and it has taken quite a few decades for a clearer vision of what lady jockeys go through.
“This is not just Bryony, a lot of lady jockeys kept schtum about a lot of things. I know one particular Flat jockey told me about her experiences, but she was too scared to say anything. At last they've heard Bryony and I'm delighted with the verdict.
“I think she can move on from this – look at her, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, going through all this she won the Tingle Creek and she won today, that's how she does the talking. She's carried on like a professional, but thank God she had the courage to speak up.”
Twelve-time champion jumps jockey Ruby Walsh told ITV Racing:
“Based on the evidence surrounding this case, to say that the culture is rancid is an easy accusation to make. Do I think that's the culture of the entire weighing room? Certainly not.
“That said, you have a room full of competitors and rivals. They're not all friends, nor should they be, but they represent the image of the sport and they have to uphold that. There will be rows but at times somebody has to tell somebody else to sit down and shut up. That doesn't appear to have happened. That's what went wrong.
“You have to use words like 'I'm sorry.' That's part of any altercation and in sport they will always happen but you have to go back and apologize. They're simple words. Then somebody has to reassure the person who was heckled not to worry about it. That's how the weighing room should work but it stopped working, which is the problem.”
BHA chief executive Julie Harrington told the Racing Post:
“We understand that for the vast majority of those who work in the weighing room, it's a positive, supportive and welcoming place, and we express our respect and admiration for the skills and courage of our participants.
“However in any environment there are going to be some people who don't feel comfortable and there are going to be times when lines are crossed.
“It's essential that when something does go wrong that people feel supported in calling it out and we call on everyone within the industry to recognize this.”
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Graham Cunningham at sportinglife.com:
“Dunne must face up the prospect that his long career in the saddle could be over, while angry observers now have a bad guy to vilify and an entire sport to demonize as rooted in a past where women need to know their place.
“That's where we are in 2021. Complex issues are reduced to one crude hero/villain scenario before the content cannon sets its sights on another target.
“Frost has put it all on the line by refusing to put up with the sort of abuse that women trying to make their way in the workplace have been subjected to for decades. Time will tell how that works out for her. But there is only one victim here. And it ain't Robbie Dunne.
“Rid of the cloying need to pretend all is rosy, this case represents a vital river that needed crossing so racing can be genuinely proud that it pits men and women against each other in 'safe in the knowledge that the standards universal in other walks of life will apply.'
“History will reflect that the BHA's independent panel refused to tolerate Dunne's egregious bullying. Now it's time to see whether racing can tolerate a milestone change in its culture.”
The Sun's Dave Kidd wrote:
“Racing is a rare sport in which men and women compete against one another as equals – which ought to be a strong selling point.
“Yet an old-school, outdated, boys-will-be-boys culture still pervades it.
“Dare we suggest a touch of 'Small Man Syndrome' with too many of these little fellas intimidated by the presence of strong, successful women such as Frost?
“Dunne has now been suspended for 18 months and shamed as a confirmed bully.
“Even if some fellow jockeys continue to shun her, Frost's courage in speaking out is likely to be a significant force for a long-term culture change.
“For while Dunne represents racing's past, Frost is her sport's future.”
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