BHA Announce “Easier To Follow” Rules Of Racing

The British Horse Racing Authority (BHA) have announced the revision and rewriting of the current rules of racing.

The rewrite was launched in 2016 to present the rules in a simple, clear and easy-to-follow format. It hopes to ensure participants who are required to follow them, as well as the racing audience, can easily access them, in a convenient format.

However, the BHA have explained that the project has not been focused on rules changes, but the presentation and structure of current rules. 

Working in close consultation with the independent legal expertise of Northridge Law LLP, the rule revision has ensured no changes in current rules. The BHA also consulted participants via stakeholders to optimise the new format.

The BHA Board has approved the new, rewritten rules and have been further confirmed to be coming into force from 1st September 2019. However, the BHA has assured that the rewritten rules will be available in early July to ensure users are familiar with the new site and format. In addition, the BHA hope to host workshops to assist the participants in becoming accustomed to the new rule format and digital access.

Further explaining the project, Tim Naylor, Director of Integrity and Regulation at the BHA, said;

There has been a move within the wider area of sports regulation to try and simplify rules as far as possible so everyone, whether participating or not, can understand them.

There was feedback anecdotally for a number of years, particularly from those bound by the Rules, that they could be easier to follow which was why the initial project was undertaken.

It has been a long and complex piece of work but I’m confident that the new format of the Rules makes them as clear as they have ever been.

They will be easy to access digitally and will link in with other guidance documents and application processes electronically. This is part of the BHA’s progressive approach to make regulation more transparent for our participants and the general public.

We will provide more information in early July when the new rules will be available to view regarding any changes to the substance of the Rules, but the fundamental aim behind the project was to simplify them and ensure they are structured in a format which our participants can use easily.”

In the lead up to the official launch of the newly formatted rules, the BHA is also creating a cross-industry working group. The creation of the group hopes to provide vital feedback from users and ensure any last minute optimisation of the site can be carried out before coming into force on 1st September.