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Irish Regulatory Board Bans Jockey Four Months Over ‘Inappropriate’ Video With Dead Horse

After a Wednesday hearing, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board issued a four-month ban to jockey Rob James as a result of a video circulated on social media showing the rider sitting atop a dead horse, reports The Irish Sun.

The IHRB said: “The Referrals Committee found Mr. James in breach of Rule 272 (i) in that he acted in a manner which was prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct and good reputation of horseracing. They imposed a 12 month suspension of his Qualified Riders licence and Handlers Permit with the last eight of this suspended.”

James issued a public apology via The Irish Field after the video first became public.

“I would just like of apologize for my actions which were wholly inappropriate and disrespectful to a lovely 5-year-old mare, who unfortunately suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while at exercise earlier that morning, April 30, 2016,” James said. “To try defending my stupidity at the time would add further insult and hurt to the many loyal people that have supported me during my career. I have caused embarrassment to my employers, my family and most importantly the sport I love.”

James Banned 12 Months; Eight Suspended

Irish amateur jockey Rob James, who was shown climbing aboard and sitting astride a dead horse in an eight-second video that circulated on social media last week, has received a 12-month suspension of his qualified riders license and handlers permit from the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, which tweeted the result of its investigation late on Wednesday evening. The last eight months of the ban have been suspended by the IHRB, though terms of the suspension were not immediately disclosed. The statement from the IHRB reads as follows:

“The Referrals Committee, Ms. Justice Leonie Reynolds, Mr. Nick Wachman and Mr. Sean Barry convened at the Offices of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) on Wednesday, 10th, March 2021 to consider the referral of Mr. Robert James (Rider/Handler) following an Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board investigation into a video circulating on social media which first came to the attention of the IHRB on Tuesday, 2nd March, 2021.

“Having considered the evidence, the Referrals Committee found Mr. James in breach of Rule 272(i) in that he acted in a manner which was prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct and good reputation of horseracing. They imposed a 12-month suspension of his Qualified Riders licence and Handlers Permit with the last eight months suspended.

“The Committee also notes that Mr. James has stated to the Committee that he will not attend a Racemeeting or a Point-to-Point for the four-month period of his suspension.

“The detailed decision read out by Ms. Justice Leonie Reynolds will be published by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board on Thursday.”

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Source of original post

Amateur Jockey Rob James Apologizes For ‘Wholly Inappropriate’ Actions In Viral Video

Amateur jockey Rob James issued an apology via The Irish Field on Tuesday, after a video depicting him astride a dead horse made the rounds on social media.

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) announced it would investigate the via, stating via Twitter: “We are aware of further social media content circulating and the matter is under investigation.”

The video of James follows the emergence of a picture of trainer Gordon Elliott astride a fallen racehorse, which caused the trainer to be banned the British Horseracing Authority.