GREYHOUNDS
Closing down the Mudgee greyhound track is "not on the agenda" for Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) despite the sports’ governing body not renewing Mudgee Greyhound Racing Club's (MGRC) registration.
GRNSW said the Mudgee club had not met the requirements of the operating standards, which is a condition of registration for every NSW greyhound club.
Because the club's registration was not renewed, races or trials would not be permitted on the Mudgee track from January 1, 2012.
But MGRC president Len Haaring doesn't believe failing operating standards was the reason.
"The bottom line is they [GRNSW] want tracks to close," Haaring said.
"They want more TAB racing, they don't want non-TAB racing."
Mudgee is a non-TAB racing club while clubs like Dubbo and Bathurst are TAB meetings.
The chief executive of GRNSW, Brent Hogan, said the Mudgee track was not in danger.
"It's not on the agenda for us... It's a non-issue to close down Mudgee," Hogan said.
"We have 35 greyhound clubs and more than half are non-TAB clubs.
"We have clubs from Broken Hill to Coonamble. Coonabarabran is a perfect example; they are a similar size to Mudgee and managed to meet the operating standards.
"The operating standards underpin the operations of a race club."
There are 16 operating standards in which GRNSW follows.
Some of the standards relate to club assets, safety, annual reports, club accounting practices, financial reporting, complaint handling and dispute resolution, and insurance coverage.
Hogan was not prepared to comment on which of the 16 standards Mudgee had failed nor was Haaring.
"I haven't sat down and really looked at what standards they are talking about," Haaring said.
Mudgee was not the only club to have their registration knocked back.
The Moree Greyhound Racing Club, and Forbes and District Greyhound Racing Club will not be racing in January.
The Forbes club missed the deadline for submitting their operating standards and the GRNSW board will consider reapplying the club's registration at its January meeting.
Mudgee and Moree clubs can reapply for registration but they must meet the operating standards.
"We will be reapplying immediately," Haaring said.
"It will take a few weeks to sort it out... [If we are registered] we probably won't be racing until February."
It's not the first time this year GRNSW has taken action against the MGRC.
MGRC was suspended for the month of October because of financial concerns.
The race club eliminated the financial concerns but Hogan said they had failed to meet the operating standards.
"It would not have been fair for the other 32 clubs who have met the standards if we let those clubs that haven't through," Hogan said.
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