Statement issued by Greyhound Racing Ireland 9th Feb 2017

Greyhound Racing Ireland (formally the Irish Greyhound Board) has deferred the Annual Irish Greyhound Awards which were scheduled to be held at Shelbourne Park Stadium on Saturday night (February 11th) and has cancelled the racing programme at the Stadium on the same night.

The decision was taken in the wake of a decision by Dublin Greyhound Owners and Breeders  Association (DGOBA) to picket the stadium. Despite representations by GRI last night, Wednesday, February 8th, advising of the serious implications of the decision, DGOBA declined to change its decision to picket. 

It is extremely disappointing that one of the flagship events of the year to acknowledge excellence within the industry has had to be deferred and racing cancelled again because of DGOBA pickets. GRI is not going to allow our owners, trainers, staff and the general public to be used in this way by a small section within the industry. 

GRI reiterates that its Business Plan is focused on addressing the organisation’s unsustainable debt of €21.6 million. There is an absolute requirement for everybody to recognise the commercial realities and the time is well gone when special interests can hold the industry to ransom. 

IGB apologises to our sponsors, patrons and greyhound owners and trainers for the disruption caused.