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Punter fined for comments

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Punter Glenn Pollett fined $10,000 by Racing NSW stewards over jockey comments

By Costa Rolfe 5 minutes ago

Glenn Pollett has been fined $10,000 by Racing NSW stewards over the controversial comments he made regarding jockey safety on The Punters Show on June 6. 

Pollett - a punter and horse racing pundit - was summoned to appear before the stewards on Thursday for his controversial assertion that punters "don't care" about jockey safety and welfare. 

“People like Tye [Angland] and jockeys like that, they think we care about them,” Pollett said in a video published at www.puntersshow.com.au

“We don’t care. We want to bet. Is anyone thinking about [quadriplegic former jockey] Ray Silburn in his wheelchair out the back of Goulburn? Not me. It’s an awful thing that happened to him but life moves on. We want to bet.

“Punters don’t care [about jockeys]. We want to bet. Just to let all the jockeys out there know, I don’t care.”

Pollett pleaded guilty to the following charges:

1. Conduct prejudicial to the image &/or interests of racing –
AR 175A. Any person bound by these Rules who either within a racecourse or elsewhere in the opinion of the Committee of any Club or the Stewards has been guilty of conduct prejudicial to the image, or interests, or welfare of racing may be penalised.

2. Improper Conduct –
AR 175. The Principal Racing Authority (or the Stewards exercising powers delegated to them) may penalise;
(q) Any person who in their opinion is guilty of any misconduct, improper conduct or unseemly behaviour.

3. Making comments that were obscene, offensive and abusive on a social media channel-
AR 175. The Principal Racing Authority (or the Stewards exercising powers delegated to them) may penalise;
(qq) Any person who in their opinion, is guilty of engaging in the publishing or posting on any social media platform or channel any material, content or comment that is obscene, offensive, defamatory, racist, threatening, harassing, discriminating or abusive to any other person or entity involved in the racing industry.

$5,000 of Pollett's $10,000 fine has been suspended for a period of two years, with Pollett's clean 36 year record in the industry, guilty plea, expression of remorse, apology and personal circumstances at the time of the offence all cited as mitigating factors. 

Pollett indicated that he was unlikely to appeal the sanction. 

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Guest 2Admin2

Weird - I'd appeal as I don't believe their jurisdiction covers that.   

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Guest 2Admin2
7 minutes ago, von Smallhaussen said:

probably got advice from someone in Petone

It's worse than Kevins case.  

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I met Glenn on course at Canterbury a few years back and he seemed like a top bloke and a real character of the Sydney betting ring.  Certainly wasn't afraid to speak his mind and was outspoken in his disagreement with certain racing officials at the time - I'm a little surprised he seems to have accepted this farcical penalty lying down - unless there is more to it? 

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Guest 2Admin2
1 minute ago, Midget said:

Freedom of speech is to be encouraged but the comments are pretty average and extremely tasteless aren't they ?

Well you are looking at it from a jockeys perspective.  He is talking a punters reality.  

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9 minutes ago, 2Admin2 said:

Well you are looking at it from a jockeys perspective.  He is talking a punters reality.  

I think he could have made his point without naming specific jockeys, particularly one who is now a quadriplegic.

Life's tough enough for battling jockeys whose lives have been ruined without having such an insensitive sentiment expressed. I'm picking the quadriplegic jockey has family too, and you can only imagine how they'd be feeling about this.

Individual taste I suppose, but why would he have bothered unless he thought such callousness might have a shock factor, and even then how would such insensitivity give his argument traction and resonance ?.

It just makes the average decent compassionate person recoil in horror doesn't it ?

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16 minutes ago, Midget said:

I think he could have made his point without naming specific jockeys, particularly one who is now a quadriplegic.

Life's tough enough for battling jockeys whose lives have been ruined without having such an insensitive sentiment expressed.

Individual taste I suppose, but why would he have bothered unless he thought such callousness might have a shock factor, and even then how would such insensitivity give his argument traction and resonance ?.

It just makes the average decent compassionate person recoil in horror doesn't it ?

I agree it is insensitive when read in the context of the article and you'd think he's a complete prick to make such a statement.  However, it has to be remembered that it was reportedly made on his online show where I understand he regularly makes comments to stir up debate and create controversy and people watching that would presumably expect such outlandish statements.  If he said that on mainstream TV he should expect the book to be thrown at him, but I suspect if it was taken in the context of the overall debate and banter on the show it may not seem so harsh?

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Guest 2Admin2
30 minutes ago, Midget said:

I think he could have made his point without naming specific jockeys, particularly one who is now a quadriplegic.

Life's tough enough for battling jockeys whose lives have been ruined without having such an insensitive sentiment expressed. I'm picking the quadriplegic jockey has family too, and you can only imagine how they'd be feeling about this.

Individual taste I suppose, but why would he have bothered unless he thought such callousness might have a shock factor, and even then how would such insensitivity give his argument traction and resonance ?.

It just makes the average decent compassionate person recoil in horror doesn't it ?

All valid points Midge.  But surely he is entitled to make those comments without incurring a $10k fine.  Repulsive as they are.  Are the ozzie equivalent of our RIU societies moral police men?  No.

FFS Midge many of your posts under those rules would have incurred a fine.

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I would never make insensitive remarks about an injured licencee, or any person who spilt their blood ( metaphorically speaking ) for the industry. They're heroes and you don't insult or degrade your heroes.

Imagine if this clown said something similar about a war veteran who'd lost limbs in say Afghanistan.

Tell the truth about the able bodied losers who ruin or degrade our racing lives by all means, that's a right and arguably an obligation, but never malign the handicapped, the infirmed, the disabled or the impoverished.

You judge a civilized society by the way in which it treats its most vulnerable.

Didn't you blokes go to Mass when you were kids ? or are you without any sense of moral decency ?, you're behaving like nihilists FFS.

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The comments as reported are obviously not sentiments that any 'normal' person would speak in public. 

I think what we are missing here is context. I would suggest that his point is that punters, while they may see the horror and feel some empathy, it's not going to stop them having a punt on the next race. 

If that is the case, I think the fine is an over-reaction. 

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I agree that the comments are crass, and grossly so. That said, this persecution is wrong. We should be thankful that in godzone, the authorities have been delivered a clear message that they cannot make or interpret rules in racing that over-ride the right to freedom of expression when that is expression of an opinion or as in this case, a fact, that he doesn't care.

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Pollett's comments are a form of devils advocate speak. Its a form of making a point which is the direct opposite to the actual words. Surely that's obvious but apparently not.

He is actually lamenting the fact that punters in general don't appreciate the dangers involved in riding.

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14 hours ago, slam dunk said:

Pollett's comments are a form of devils advocate speak. Its a form of making a point which is the direct opposite to the actual words. Surely that's obvious but apparently not.

He is actually lamenting the fact that punters in general don't appreciate the dangers involved in riding.

Really?

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Still fail to see how he is a 'person bound by these Rules who either within a racecourse or elsewhere' - the stewards seem to have assumed an unlimited power that is inconsistent with a basic human right - freedom of speech. Mentions him as a punter and pundit but, unless involved in the racing of a horse, how is governed by the rules of racing? If I said that I thought the stewards were a pack of %£/""""f'@ds, could I expect a knock on the door? I'm not home that day.

AS he is quoted as unlikely to appeal, there must be more than isn't reported. 

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Guest 2Admin2
8 minutes ago, Ohokaman said:

He's a racing pundit (?) on a recorded show PLF...that's enough apparently.

Suggest he doesn't pay.  What  are they going to stop him doing?  Prevent access to a race course?

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