Rasmussen banned for life after damning vision scandal
Greyhound Racing South Australia has disqualified trainer Tony Rasmussen for life and fined him $220,000 after he was found guilty of charges relating to animal welfare.
Partner Lisa Rasmussen has been suspended for 15 years and fined $20,000, with the pair having been on an interim suspension since July 2023.
Rasmussen, who trains in partnership with Lisa, is a former premiership winning trainer in South Australia and won a group 1 race as recently as January 2023, when Victa Damian won the National Derby at Wentworth Park.
Monday’s decision was handed down by the industry’s independent Integrity Hearings Panel (IHP) and is the heaviest on record dished out by GRSA.
In July 2023, the training licenses and registrations of the Rasmussens were suspended with immediate effect following the broadcast of disturbing vision by several media channels. The
training premises were also immediately de-registered.
GRSA stewards promptly opened an investigation and analysed the vision, laying serious charges under the Greyhounds Australasia Rules and Local Rules of racing within 48 hours.
The matter has now been heard by the IHP which is an independent body convened by GRSA with the responsibility for investigating charges raised by stewards and determining appropriate penalties if charges are proven.
At an IHP hearing on June 7, Mr Rasmussen entered a not guilty plea to all 11 charges against him, which he was found guilty of on June 11.
He told the ABC, in an interview prior to the release of the footage, the man in the vision no longer worked for the kennel because he was found to treat dogs badly, but refused to say when he was sacked.
The IHP also made a final determination on charges against Lisa Rasmussen. At the June 7 meeting, she pled guilty to three charges, while a charge of ill treatment of greyhounds was withdrawn, because of a lack of evidence.
The Rasmussen scandal was the catalyst for the Ashton inquiry, which looked at allegations of welfare abuse and mismanagement in South Australian greyhound racing. The inquiry ultimately made 57 recommendations for the industry to continue, while also earning a stern rebuke from South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas.
“I, like everyone, was appalled by the images of alleged abuse of greyhounds which confronted us earlier this year,” he said.
“The findings of this Inquiry justify its establishment. The findings are sobering, and quite frankly, have left me disappointed and angry.
“Graham Ashton’s recommendations are clear – the greyhound industry must change urgently, or lose the broader support of South Australians to continue operating.”
This is criminal, on so many levels. A lifetime ban and fine…OK. What about jail? This man and his wife have broken every rule of their “so called” industry. They were cautioned in 2017. Make an example of them. PLEASE