NCA Gets One Last Chance From GRNSW
After countless rumours over recent months, Greyhound Racing New South Wales (GRNSW) has announced that the National Coursing Association (NCA) has been registered from the 1st July 2013 to the 31st August 2013 after receiving a report from Deloitte in regards to the financial viability of the association. There has been speculation of late that the NCA had been deregistered by the board of greyhound racing and it had been tipped that Unibet Gardens would fall under the control of rival organisation, the Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association (GBOTA), however all parties have remained tight lipped in regards to this issue. It appears we may have to wait longer for a final verdict from GRNSW as to the fate of The NCA and Unibet Gardens; however the NCA will be thankful for this added time to prove their value within the greyhound racing industry.
In a statement, GRNSW has announced that the registration of the NCA is subject to:
- The club remaining under the administration of David Lombe, Partner of Deloitte, unless GRNSW decides otherwise
- The earlier cancellation, if any, of the NCA's registration by GRNSW.
GRNSW is proposing to cancel the registration of the NCA or refuse to register the group after their current registration expires with the view that the club is not presently, or will not be financially viable in the future with regards to participation within the greyhound racing industry. GRNSW expresses that it may be in the best interests of the greyhound racing industry to follow through with this proposal however it is subject to a show cause which will give the NCA the opportunity to make representations about the decision announced by GRNSW. GRNSW has said that these representations will be considered before they make a final decision.
The decision has been anticipated and pending for quite some time. The financial crisis of the NCA was dragged into the spotlight when it was reported that the general manager of the NCA, Adam Dobbin, misappropriated over $155,000 of the association's money.
Dobbin later resigned from his position but still remains manager and editor of The Greyhound Recorder. Dobbin was supported by the NCA when the matter was revealed to the public whereas the majority of the industry called for his dismissal. Dobbin is repaying the amounts owed yet the damage has still been done, with the integrity of not just the NCA, but industry as a whole tarnished.
As a result, in April this year, GRNSW appointed an administrator, David Lombe, a partner of Deloitte, to oversee the management of the NCA and to assess the association's viability within the industry and furthermore instrument a business and operating plan.
The findings have come as no surprise to many participants, with the NCA certainly in for a stressful and anxious few months before a decision is finally made. Whilst GRNSW are trying to dodge an imminent bullet at present, there is no doubt the ailing association is on death row, with GRNSW finally appearing to grow tired of the inadequacies that have persisted for an extended amount of time. In order to survive the looming execution the NCA are facing they will have to pull a proverbial rabbit out of the hat to continue their control of the track that was once seen as the pinnacle of NSW racing but has now become a pale shadow of its former hopeful image due to a plethora of management woes that have drained the once proud and successful association within an inch of its life.
Efforts were made to contact the NCA for comment, however they did not respond by the time of publication.