Facilities ‘inadequate’ for female jockeys – PJA

The jockeys’ union says its female members are experiencing “inadequate safeguarding and discriminatory facilities” after 80% of British racecourses missed a deadline to upgrade and modernise their weighing rooms.

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) had set a target of all racecourses improving facilities by October 2024, to “meet the current and future needs of jockeys of all ages and genders”.

These included providing additional private changing and shower facilities, communal eating areas and warm-up areas and new communal working areas for valets.

However, the BHA revealed on Tuesday that only 12 of 60 courses had completed the required work by the deadline, and it expects 37 racecourses to have done so by a revised deadline of December 2027.

Paul Struthers, chief executive of the Professional Jockeys Association (PJA), said: “We do understand that this project comes at a cost, but the reality is that for far too long at too many courses our female members have had to tolerate inadequate safeguarding and discriminatory facilities.

“It is completely unacceptable that our female members are still required to enter the male changing room at the majority of racecourses in order to do their job.”

The BHA said it was “disappointed” by the pace of change, but said racecourses were experiencing financial and planning challenges.

The Racecourse Association (RCA) said the work will involve over £40m investment and “given the significant financial headwinds faced by racecourses the timelines have been altered to reflect this major factor”.

It added: “Throughout this project, the safeguarding and welfare of participants has been at the forefront.

“Whilst the finalised upgrades of all weighing rooms will take time, it is important to re-emphasise that all safeguarding requirements have and will continue to be met.”

Brant Dunshea, acting chief executive of the BHA, said: “Of course the BHA is disappointed this work hasn’t been concluded more quickly.

“But in saying that we have got to acknowledge and recognise those financial headwinds and competing capital investment expectations that the industry is placing on racecourses.”

Dunshea added the BHA are “committed to working collaboratively with the racecourses and the PJA to get the work done” and there are “interim measures that racecourses must commit to” until the work is completed.

Leicester Racecourse was the first course to meet the targets, opening its refurbished weighing room in December 2023.

The PJA said: “Those courses that have completed their works deserve praise, particularly small independent racecourses such as Fakenham, Leicester, Pontefract, Ripon and Taunton.”

The Newmarket July course is the only racecourse that holds a major racing festival to have met the targets, with Cheltenham and Aintree among those not to have done so.

In 2021, retired Grade One-winning jockey Lizzie Kelly told the Daily Mail: “The physical layout of many weighing rooms can lead a young female jockey into potentially uncomfortable situations. That is a massive issue and needs to be addressed urgently.

“Can you imagine the uproar if Emma Raducanu had to go into the men’s changing room before a match at Wimbledon?”

The BHA said progress had been slowed by “planning and building restrictions and the availability of useable space”, adding that some weighing rooms are listed buildings and others are built on or near floodplains.

However, it said: “The onus is on everyone with a stake in this project to now make this a reality across the country. It’s what our participants deserve and what British racing expects.”