The Bangalore Turf Club has reached its nadir with the club hurtling towards its destruction. The internecine quarrels among members had brought disrepute to the club. Four months of racing activity had been suspended with the government denying the license because of several serious allegations of misappropriation and other questionable acts doing the rounds. The efforts by members to discredit each other which was the downfall of the club continues unabated.

The BTC Managing Committee failed the club and the sport in all aspects and it is only because of the benign intervention of the High Court who wanted the sport and those depended on it did not suffer, the license was restored with conditions. A monitoring committee was appointed to ensure that racing was run without compromise to its integrity.

However, the turf club committee has not learnt its lessons. The committee is totally devoid of leadership. The committee members complement the quality of leadership. They are petty minded lacking in calibre to be leading the club. The committee’s actions are dictated from outside by an influential section of the disgruntled membership which is hell-bent on enforcing its writ much to the detriment of the sport. The committee, guided by these elements, has fallen a prey and taking steps which are sure to further compromise the sport to the extent that another government intervention may be forced.

The monitoring committee is looking into every aspect of the running of the sport that made a big splash in the media. The CID report is pending finalisation and one is sure that the final report is not going to be complimentary if the indications are any guide to go by. The CID has reportedly unearthed several questionable transactions and one hopes the report comes out as early as possible so that the guilty are exposed. Some of the club members and the managing committee members need to be told that to hold position, they should be above board and have knowledge of the intricacies of administration.

Our website Racingpulse has been highlighting the causes for the slide in Bangalore. However, these reports do not seem to have gone down well with the committee members who neither have the courage to confront us with facts or to face facts. They want to act like tin-pot dictators by taking measures to declare that they don’t recognize web journalism and stop all facilities to us. They don’t even have the courtesy to inform of the measures that they have taken because they lack the guts. They are acting like cowards.

Web sites are the backbone of horse racing. The newspapers have long stopped giving coverage to the sport which has more negatives than positives. The authorities also failed to get the mainstream media to give coverage like in the past. The coverage has come down to a trickle in the last decade or so. It won’t be a surprise that very soon, newspapers stop covering the sport entirely because nothing is gained by giving so much time and space for the sport which does not enjoy a good image or rake in revenues to the paper. In this scenario, it is the websites which have come to the rescue of the sport by its extensive coverage. Unfortunately, the authorities in Bangalore don’t seem to appreciate this fact. Possibly they don’t want any coverage lest their misdeeds get highlighted.

All over the world, journalists of websites are given as much importance as the print medium. The racing authorities all over the country have recognized the importance of racing websites and have given accreditation to web journalists. I had the privilege of getting accreditation from Dubai Race Club to cover its Racing Carnival culminating in the running of the World Cup.

However, the BTC authorities in their wisdom have decided that they will recognise only the print medium which does not bother to give coverage to the sport. They don’t mind recognizing the publishers of race day sheets as Press and give them accreditation as well. These worthies don’t know that I do represent a Kannada newspaper which has a combined readership of 65 lakhs. For them ignorance is bliss.

The BTC authorities are surely shaken by the series of expose on their activities which is indicated by their sudden decision to withdraw accreditation to our website without as much as the courtesy of information as to why they are taking the measure. It is but natural when the committee acts in an uncouth manner, such niceties cannot be expected. Chairman of the Club Harimohan Naidu was not picking calls.

The BTC Managing Committee consisting of very immature persons has taken the decision to challenge the media. We will take up the challenge.