GBGB is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Griffiths QC as Chairman of the Greyhound Regulatory Board and Dr Peter Webbon as Independent Welfare Director.
Mr Griffiths has a multi-disciplinary practice covering sports, media and entertainment, commercial litigation and planning matters in the UK and overseas. He is currently a member of the MCC Committee and formerly Chairman of both the MCC Development Committee and Laws Sub-Committee. He previously acted as a special adviser to the MCC World Cricket Committee.
He has considerable insight into the rule making and regulatory framework of an extensive number of sports including cricket, rugby, boxing and athletics and is familiar with anti-doping and regulatory issues facing sports.
Griffiths said of his appointment: “I am delighted to take up this appointment and am looking forward to working with other members of the Board in order to ensure that Greyhound racing in this country remains subject to a fair and responsible regulatory regime.”
Dr Webbon is a qualified veterinary surgeon and, until his retirement last year, was Chief Executive of the Animal Health Trust. He is a veterinary advisor to the International Stud Book Commitee and Chair of its welfare sub-group and a member of the Retired Greyhound Trust Veterinary Committee.
Dr Webbon joined the Jockey Club in 1996 as Chief Veterinary Advisor and progressed to become its Director of Veterinary Science and Welfare in 2002. He played key roles in the Foot and Mouth outbreak in 2001 and the introduction of the microchipping of British born foals in 1999. He is also a former member of the GBGB medication and doping control working party and between 1975 and 1996 he was a track vet, attending at White City, Wembley and Hackney and several other tracks.
Dr Webbon said; “I am looking forwards to working with the GBGB Board, its staff and the greyhound industry to do everything that we can to ensure the highest welfare standards for racing greyhounds both on and off the track”.
GBGB Chair Tom Kelly welcomed the tow new board appointees; “These appointments demonstrate the GBGB’s commitment to appointing independent directors who have the quality and experience to play valuable roles in equipping the GB to respond on behalf of greyhound racing to the challenges that face our sport. They also clearly indicate that greyhound racing retains the ability to attract high flying individuals capable of making a real and positive contribution”.
The two new appointees will attend their first GBGB board meeting scheduled for July 16.
