Facilities 'discriminating' against female jockeys

BBC News

13-02-2025

The jockeys' union says "extended delays" to the upgrades of weighing room facilities is "prolonging discrimination" to female jockeys.In December, it emerged that 80% of British racecourses had missed a deadline to modernise facilities.These included providing additional private changing and shower facilities, communal eating areas and warm-up areas and new communal working areas for valets.The Professional Jockeys Association (PJA) wrote to its members this week saying it had received reports of "sub-standard race day facilities", including mould, flooding and overcrowded changing rooms.Its criticism came as the horse racing industry launched a new workforce strategy, , externalacknowledging the need for a change in "culture" and "a more professional working environment".One of the targets of the Horseracing Industry People Board (HIPB)'s strategy is to "prioritise gender equality" and to "encourage and support our female workforce by removing barriers to remaining in the sport".Other activities will include an anti-sexual misconduct campaign, supporting employers with drug and alcohol testing, and the introduction of an employer quality standard.In 2021, racecourses were set targets to improve weighing room facilities. But just 13 of Britain's 59 racecourses met last October's deadline.The PJA said it had been told that "multiple Jockey Club venues will not commence work until 2028 at the earliest and may not be completed until 2030".It said: "These extended delays, which will prolong the ongoing discrimination faced by our female members, are unacceptable. Your patience and ours is running out and we will continue to fight to bring forward change."We continue to receive reports, videos and photos of sub-standard race day facilities, including flooded shower and valet areas, mould, female overcrowding, electrical safety issues and failure to adhere to BHA (British Horseracing Authority) general instructions."The Racecourse Association (RCA) said it did not recognise 2027 as a new "agreed deadline", and said there were weekly meetings being held by the Weighing Room Development project group to "discuss, and ultimately progress, the development of weighing rooms at racecourses".Caroline Davies, RCA Racecourse Services Director: "The project group's records show that 20 racecourses will have completed the work by the end of 2025, with a further 12 by 2026."As has previously been acknowledged, this multi-million pound development is a significant expenditure for racecourses at a time when resources are stretched over other essential programmes such as enhancing prize money and covering National Insurance increases. As such, a phased approach must be adopted."
Workplace 'not what should be expected in 21st century'
The new workforce strategy has been devised by the Horseracing Industry People Board (HIPB), and will not just cover racecourses but also training yards and stud farms.Julia Tyson, chair of the HIPB, said: "The workplace is not what should be expected in the 21st century.""We expect [the strategy] to deliver more, better-trained people who stay in the industry for longer. So recruit, develop, retain."We expect to improve the workplace culture, we need to move into a more professional working environment, as many sports are doing. One that is based on dignity, respect and inclusion."We expect to deliver a safer, healthier workforce, where people know it is safe to stay in the sport."It is not a series of quick wins. It is a series of linked initiatives addressing both cause and effect."The BHA said: "Our jockeys are elite athletes performing in a professional sporting environment, so the facilities they use should be of an appropriately high standard, and fair and equal for competitors of all genders."The BHA has made its position clear that the onus is on everyone with a stake in the project to upgrade racecourse changing facilities to now make it a reality."In the meantime, interim requirements have been put in place which all racecourses are expected to meet. We would encourage any reports of instances where they are not to be flagged to the BHA"The Jockey Club says it has met the interim standards and is "totally committed" to delivering the "required and important" upgrades at its 15 tracks but the work amounted to millions of pounds and needed to be phased."It is important to stress that separate changing rooms for male and female jockeys already exist at all UK racecourses and these requirements involve upgrading existing facilities," a spokesperson told the Racing Post.