GRA and Mauritius Turf Club in loggerhead over Guidelines

The Mauritius Turf Club and the Gambling Regulatory Authority have been in a war of words over protocol and guidelines regarding the new season while at a training session at the racecourse in the capital and the Desmarais Center Floreal.

On March 16, the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) toughened against the Mauritius Turf Club (MTC) organizers of the horse racing in Mauritius and its new public company, the Mauritius Turf Club Sports and Leisure (MTCSL) over the failure to publish guidelines for the new season. Even though, Covid-19 pandemic spread’s as delay, the start of the 2021 horseracing season schedule for March 20 has been postponed until further notice. Moreover, the country is in confinement until March 25. As a result, the horse racing participant continues their training session at the horse evolved center and Trot at Camp-de-Mars, but the public and the press are not allowed to attend the training session for the time being.

While, considering the numerous protest of the MTC / MTCSL concerning the horse races season stating the GRA are not considering the state of investors regarding handicap “Directions for racing” and the authority trying to impose its authority from not allowing the organizer to discharge its duties. The GRA issued a new directive via e-mail to the MTC / MTCSL, stating to published guidelines and protocols on their website before the horse racing season begins. The latter state categorical” there will be no further discussion on the subject and the ‘directions’ of the GRA for the season 2021 are final”, which warned the MTC has until this week to publish these guidelines on its website failing to do so, which it will be sanctioned.
Further, the GRA latter read: “We talked a lot about rules for the new season and we cannot continue to discuss about the subject matter. We” recalls the GRA in an e-mail sent to the MTC on March 13th which the regulator specifies, moreover that it is ready to open negotiations for other subjects and the following season.

The GRA says its notes the attitude of the new president of the Mauritius Turf Club (MTC) elected on March 5 at the Annual General Meeting “The authority reminds the MTC and MTCSL that the provision of the GRA Act are clear. The GRA has the powers to monitor and regulate activities related to horse racing. The MTCSL cannot break the law, “said the head of the board and to recall that the GRA remains open to any meeting other than to discuss the guidelines for the 2021 season.

GRA Ultimatum

In the process, the GRA gives the MTC ultimatum to publish the final version of the “Directions for Racing” for the current year on its website. The authority has also finalized the “handicapping guidelines,” the conditions for Group races, and the horse’s safety. The authority head specifies that they cannot correct these documents. The Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) criticizes the MTC / MTCSL for not having respected several deadlines. It stipulates that the non-publication of the organizer’s directives is not why no license has been granted for the moment at MTCSL. While February 18, earlier in the year, the MTC applied for a GRA license for MTCSL to organize the races in response.

The GRA said, “As MTCSL is a new company, we have to do exercises of controls and verifications. It takes time and has nothing to do with the delay in posting guidelines on your website. And the GRA urges the MTC / MTCSL to no longer remind them that the license to organize the races has not yet been issued. “it has been only 21 days since the date of your letter that which made the application,” she says. The authority also says it does not understand why the MTCSL’s request took place when incorporated in 2017.

The GRA also reminds the MTCSL that it must have a female element in its steering committee according to the law. In a statement to local media, Jean-Michel Giraud, said that the MTC/ MTCSL wants to start the new season as quickly as possible but refuses to comply with the guidelines 2021 season. The MTC board is meeting this week and will focus, among other things, on the point raised in the latest GRA email.

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