By T. D. Thornton
The province of Ontario posted five job openings Jan. 29 in an effort to fill a newly created Horse Racing Appeal Panel (HRAP) that will be mandated to hear appeals on all Thoroughbred and Standardbred in-race and drug violation rulings made by stewards and judges starting Apr. 1.
When the province's lawmakers passed the omnibus Budget Measures Act of 2015 Dec. 10, one of the bill's components integrated the operations of the Ontario Racing Commission with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
According to a notice posted on the AGCO website, “The recently passed Horse Racing Licence Act, 2015 will cause a significant change in the way appeals of horse racing decisions are adjudicated in Ontario….The newly formed Horse Racing Appeal Panel will be a central component of a new adjudication model for Ontario's horse racing industry promoting effective and independent regulation to uphold public confidence in the honesty and integrity of horse racing in the province.”
Licensing appeals will be kept separate from the appeals of infractions that will be heard by the new HRAP. The granting, renewal, suspension, or revocation of Ontario racing licenses will now be transferred to an entity called the Licence Appeal Tribunal.
The HRAP will consist of five part-time members, including a chairperson.
The job postings on the AGCO website include a description that reads, in part: “Applicants should exhibit superior judgment and understanding of the impact of the matters before them and their appeal decisions on the integrity of the sport and its participants generally. Cases often have a technical scientific focus involving banned or performance-enhancing substances making an understanding of these topics a definite asset. Applicants with pharmacological, medical, veterinarian, or general scientific knowledge would be a definite asset. A background in general governance, law or sports officiating is desirable as well.”
The jobs are based in Toronto. The chair position is advertised at a day rate of $627 CAD ($450 USD). The member positions pay $398 CAD ($285 USD). Applications will be accepted through Feb. 11.
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