UK Edition
Graham Gibbons hands in license after BHA probe into drug test switch
Graham Gibbons, the leading jockey in all-weather racing this winter, handed in his riding licence yesterday after the British Horseracing Authority launched an investigation into allegations that he switched urine samples with an apprentice jockey at Kempton on Wednesday night.
Gibbons, 35, one of the best freelance jockeys on the northern circuit, had one ride at Kempton, finishing sixth on Button Up for Sir Michael Stoute in the mile maiden.
However, it was brought to the attention of the stewards that he had tried to pass off a urine sample given by his weighing-room colleague, the apprentice Callum Shepherd, as his own.
The stewards heard evidence from Gibbons, Shepherd and a valet. Shepherd was accompanied by Paul Struthers, chief executive of the Professional Jockeys’ Association, who happened to be at the meeting, Given the seriousness of the matter, it was referred by the Kempton stewards to the BHA.
Last night, the BHA said: “The BHA can confirm that it has been contacted on behalf of Graham Gibbons indicating that he will relinquish his jockeys’ licence with immediate effect.”
Racing’s ruling body had earlier issued a statement saying that it would not be commenting further on an on-going investigation. However, it added: “This is clearly an incident that we are taking very seriously and we will be taking steps to progress this matter.”
Struthers put out a statement on behalf of his organisation. “Callum made a serious error of judgment,” he said, “but, to his credit, very quickly took steps to correct that error, which led to the resulting stewards’ inquiry into the matter, to which he gave candid evidence.”
Last year, there were 1,000 breath tests and 300 urine samples taken by the BHA. This year, breath tests have doubled to 2,000, while there has been an increase of 50 per cent in the number of urine samples.
When breath tests are conducted at a selected meeting, every jockey has to pass before being able to ride. The threshold is half that of the drink-driving limit. However, when jockeys are urine-tested for drugs and alcohol, a minimum of 10 are selected at random. The test takes 10 days to a fortnight to analyse.
When a jockey is ready to give his sample, he tells the sampling officer and is escorted to the sampling room where he is ‘supervised’. The sampling is carried out by an external supplier and the BHA’s investigation will be keen to find out how, under apparent ‘supervision’, Gibbons managed the swap.
A genuine sample was subsequently given by Gibbons and has been sent for testing – it is therefore unlikely there will be much movement on disciplinary action until the results are returned. Last year, three jockeys failed urine tests and one the breath test. This year, one jockey has failed the urine test. The last jockey caught attempting to deceive the samplers was apprentice James Rogers in October 2012. He was banned for nine months for “conduct prejudicial to horseracing in Great Britain”. The ban was later reduced to seven months.
Galway-born Gibbons, 35, who has ridden 94 winners this season and won over £1 million in prize-money, has a history of drink-related problems. He has been banned three times for drink-driving, the last time for four years when part of his mitigation was that he had ‘struggled with drink’. In 2013, he was arrested by police during racing at Wolverhampton by West Midlands Police on behalf of their Yorkshire counterparts for an incident in which he was alleged to have been ‘drunk and disorderly’. In 2007, he fell foul of the BHA’s drink-ride limit when breathalysed, for which he received 35-day ban.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph in 2011 before finishing third on Hoof It in the Group One Haydock Sprint, he said: “I was an enfant terrible. I like to think that’s all behind me now. It wasn’t youth or anything. It was just me. No excuses.”
By relinquishing his licence voluntarily Gibbons has, to a certain extent, done the right thing in trying to mitigate the incident.
These days many of the younger jockeys are, following the example of Sir Anthony McCoy, tee-total and the vast majority of jockeys are acutely aware that the sport is dangerous enough when jockeys are sharp and sober let alone under the influence of drugs or alcohol.