The Hindu : `JAI has jumped the gun'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 27, 2003

Sport

Sport - Racing : Horse

`JAI has jumped the gun'

BANGALORE June 26. The Turf Authorities of India's line on the jockeys' strike was that the JAI has clearly jumped the gun.

The TAI secretary general, Mr. Engineer told The Hindu on Thursday that the Turf Authorities attached utmost importance to the mount fee issue and that it would be top of the order on the agenda at the chairmen's meeting to be held in Bangalore next month. But he wondered as to how the jockeys could single out the Karnataka Racehorse Owners Association, calling it to account when the KROA clearly "was not the appropriate authority to take a decision on the matter.''

The underlying message was that the KROA's role, for that matter any other owners' body was purely recommendatory.

Mr. Engineer said it was rather unfortunate that the jockeys had decided on this drastic step without awaiting the outcome of the Turf Club chiefs' meeting where the issue has been listed for consideration. Mr. Engineer recalled that the decision to defer the mount fee matter was made at the Turf Authorities Meeting in Hyderabad.

Meanwhile, the KROA has suggested to the Turf Authorities that a meeting of the representatives from various owners associations in the country be convened at the earliest to arrive at a consensus on the revision of mount fees sought by the jockeys.

In a communication to the secretary general of the Turf Authorities, the KROA said the most ideal time for such a meeting would be around the Bangalore Derby weekend on July 12 and 13 during which representatives of the owners associations across the country were likely to be present here.

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