Gobsmacked that some of those who were dancing on Thatchers grave are now supporting a guy getting fired for one mistake. Something doesn't add up there.
Whilst the BHA has insisted it had not used different pictures from those available to Smith. So someone's lying.
Didn't they say he should have had that image available? That's ambiguous. Is the insinuation that it was available but unused or does it insinuate that the picture should have been available but wasn't for whatever reason? Smith seems to back up the latter. If the latter is true they should prepare for a tribunal and get their favourite Parker pen out because they'll be writing out a big fat cheque soon enough.
A long time ago when I used to work for one of the big high street bookies, I used to “call” photo finishes all the time without waiting for the official call because they were usually quite easy to tell even when there were dodgy camera angles. Granted nobody got paid until the actual result was given so I was only risking eating humble pie. It very much depends what sanctions are permitted under his terms and conditions; however, generally speaking employment contracts contain some form of formal written warning process, which would seem more appropriate if this was a first infringement. I think there is every chance they could have given him “gardening leave” as a punishment since his contract probably does not include any guarantee of work five days a week in a sport where the weather can lead to periods of no racing to judge. If the high resolution image was not available to Mr Smith on the actual occasion and he decided that the safest result to call was a dead heat from the evidence of the low resolution image, then we should expect to see him going through his employer’s appeals process to contest his summary dismissal and subsequently, if unsuccessful, an industrial tribunal. They will not be writing a cheque, just giving him his job back plus lost earnings.
Had a read of George Bakers website this evening and his blog talks about SMITH gaining notoriety for his quickfire photo finish decisions. It seemed he loved the attention for firing out a quick result. My take on this is that he didn't wait to see the hi-res version of the photo and the BHA know this. There is a duty of care that these stewards owe the gambling public and if they are firing off results without properly checking the information available to them then the BHA simply have to act. Seems like SMITH was the architect of his own downfall to me.
Reading Friday’s Racing Post, it appears that Mr Smith was employed as a freelance by the BHA and therefore has no access to any grievance procedure with them. He is quoted as stating that he does not envisage any legal action resulting (i.e. a tribunal). His union leader, Len McCluskey, is unlike to be in any hurry to offer Unite support as he is too busy assisting the Old Bill with their enquiries into gerrymandering north of the border. So we will never know which version of the “no high resolution photo finish available” story is true.
