Sir Philip Davies New Chair Of GB Greyhound Board As Welsh Ban Looms
The Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) has announced the appointment of Sir Philip Davies as its new chair.
The former MP for Shipley had sat on the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee during his time in Parliament and had a reputation for being a strong supporter of the betting industry.
He will take up the post on September 1 at a crucial time for greyhound racing.
Some UK betting sites do not include the sport among its offerings and it is facing the threat of a complete ban in Wales.
Will Greyhound Racing Be Banned In Wales?
In February this year, the Welsh government confirmed its intention to wind down greyhound racing in Wales through deputy first minister Huw Irranca-Davis.
A potential ban arose after cross-party calls to end the sport coupled with a petition of 35,000 signatures of welfare advocates supporting such a move.
The GBGB responded in May by filing a claim for a judicial review into the decision, also arguing that regulation would be the best way of protecting the welfare of racing greyhounds.
Who Is Sir Philip Davies?
Sir Philip, who is also chair of the online casino and sports betting group Star Sports, revealed that greyhound and horse racing were a huge part of his formative years.
“I am honoured to have been appointed Chair of GBGB,” he said
“Licensed greyhound racing is a fantastic sport which has held an important place in the fabric of our country for almost a century.
“Greyhound and horseracing have been an integral part of my life since my childhood when my mother ran a betting shop in Doncaster.
“As such, I know just how important greyhound racing is to local communities and what an important contribution it makes – both economically and socially.
“The sport has a very bright future ahead and I would like to thank the GBGB Board for putting their faith in me.
“I look forward to working with tracks, owners, trainers and our wider stakeholders as we safeguard the future of our sport and ensure it thrives for many years to come.
“Thank you to [outgoing chair] Jeremy Cooper for his leadership and stewardship over the past seven years.
“Thanks to his drive and ambition, welfare standards are greater than ever and, importantly, improving still.”
Outgoing GBGB chair Jeremy Cooper
Cooper expressed pride in his seven-year term as GBGB chair which included the challenges produced by the Covid pandemic and the Gambling Act review and said that Sir Philip was the ideal candidate to help nurture the future of the sport.
“Throughout the appointment process, Sir Philip showed himself to be a fervent supporter of licensed greyhound racing,” Cooper said.
“He demonstrated a strong understanding of our sport and is clear on its future direction.
“I know that this appointment will be welcomed across the licensed racing community and I wish Sir Philip all the very best as he begins his tenure.”
He concluded: “I would like to both thank and congratulate the GBGB Board for their ongoing commitment and support of many beneficial initiatives that we have introduced.
“Licensed greyhound racing is a superb sport and I am very proud to have overseen the significant progress that has been achieved around welfare.
“Thanks to the Greyhound Commitment and our long-term welfare strategy, animal welfare has been placed at the very heart of the sport and our greyhounds now receive higher standards of care and attention than ever before.
“This has only been possible as a result of the combined efforts of the greyhound community and I would like to acknowledge the part everyone throughout the sport has played in driving up standards right across the sport.”
GBGB has also confirmed that Mark Bird will remain as chief executive for a further two years.
Jim Munro is a betting industry and gambling expert who has been a national newspaper journalist for over 30 years, predominantly at The Sunday Times and The Sun, where he wrote a weekly soccer betting column. Jim also worked on the launch of Virgin Bet with Gamesys and was subsequently head of editorial at LiveScore, the sports media and betting group.
