Interim group not accepted

Albany's pacing season has been thrown into further doubt after Racing and Wagering WA ruled against the Albany Harness Racing Club's push for relicensing.

RWWA invited the interim committee last month to show the basis behind its decision to dismiss the club's former committee and prove it had been validly appointed.

Last Thursday RWWA's Integrity Assurance Committee released a statement outlining its decision to keep the club's licence suspended, which was stripped last month after a show cause notice was issued by the IAC.

The IAC found the club in breach of two rules of harness racing relating to a person "behaving detrimental to the industry" and "assisting in improper practices" from a report by RWWA integrity general manager Denis Borovica.

RWWA said it had considered information received by the interim committee, but it was "unclear" the new committee had been validly appointed and had acted within the club's constitution.

"The continuing high degree of confusion, conjecture and uncertainty with respect to the orderly running of this club by its members and committee, evidenced by continuing high levels of correspondence from alternative parties each claiming to legally represent the club and continuing to raise various other issues as to the ongoing management of the club, have made it impossible to entertain any applications for relicensing," the statement said.

"There has been little to suggest that the club is, or is able to, conduct its affairs in a manner that does not reflect negatively on the industry as evidenced by the high volume of dispute that prevails."

RWWA has again asked the interim committee to provide appropriate evidence in submissions that it has been validly appointed.

Albany Harness Racing Club president Jim Swann, who was appointed at the club's annual general meeting on October 18, was set to meet with RWWA chief executive Richard Burt yesterday to convince RWWA the club's actions were valid.

"The members should be able to remove the committee they feel is mismanaging the club," he said.

"If needs be, we will be going to the Supreme Court for a declaration that the committee has been validly appointed.

"We will be putting forward a pretty strong case."

The Albany Harness Racing Club season is due to begin on Sunday, December 20, with a day meeting.

RWWA has issued an ultimatum, saying if the matters cannot be resolved "contingencies with respect to race dates will be considered accordingly".