The British Horseracing Authority is encouraging "whistleblowers to come forward to combat the threat of corruption and focus its resources on targeting serious offences." A "wide-ranging report" on the integrity of the industry published Wednesday by the BHA also makes "six key recommendations to improve and streamline its operations." It concludes that "racing is comparatively clean compared with other sports." It also wants to "educate those who could be regarded as vulnerable to criminals, such as young jockeys, about the inherent dangers they may face" (LONDON TIMES, 3/23).
LEAGUE BRIEFS ...
Greater Wester Sydney Giants Chair Tony Shepherd said that National Rugby League's four-week head start on the Australian Football League season is "putting Sydney's two Australian football clubs at a competitive disadvantage." AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan confirmed on Wednesday that the season would start a week earlier in '17, "but that would still allow the NRL weeks in which to gain momentum in Sydney through advertising, marketing and media coverage on the back of live action." Shepherd said, "That head start has got to be an issue. If you're selling merchandise, you don't want to give you competitors a four-week start. It is an issue for us" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 3/23).
FIBA Africa has come out and indicated it is not giving its approval to a project undertaken by the African Basketball League (ABL). Earlier this month, the organization began setting up a so-called professional competition that would have consisted of six teams from Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Nigeria and Senegal. FIBA Africa held meetings with the ABL but could not reach an agreement and accordingly did not give its approval for the competition to launch, even as a "test run" (FIBA).
