MAJOR sponsors have pledged their support to the Muswellbrook Greyhound Racing Club this week in the wake of the live baiting scandal.
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Muswellbrook RSL CEO Daryl Egan has confirmed they will remain a sponsor of the number one non-TAB club in the state.
The racing organisation’s immediate future now appears to be safe ahead of its big meet in May, the Muswellbrook RSL Club Cup.
“I think we’ll be going ahead with it [the sponsorship],” Mr Egan told the Chronicle.
“We don’t think there’s a problem with the local club.”
Another major sponsor, Muswellbrook Shire Council, also backed the local greyhound institution.
In a statement, council said it had provided $750 per year for the past three years and would stand by the organisation.
“Council shares the community’s outrage at recent revelations of animal cruelty within the greyhound industry,” the statement read.
“However, council is not aware of any accusations of animal cruelty levelled against the club.
“At this stage, council will continue to sponsor the Muswellbrook Cup unless and until a decision is made by the elected council to do otherwise.”
A Four Corners investigation revealed trainers were using rabbits, piglets and possums to improve the speed of their greyhounds.
Greyhound Racing NSW confirmed none of the participants stood down in the aftermath of the program were from the Muswellbrook area.
Muswellbrook Greyhound Racing Club president Maurie Gray has since blasted the actions of the trainers involved in the illegal practice of live baiting.
“There’s a $30,000 fine and two years jail; these blokes in Sydney will never race greyhounds again,” Mr Gray said.
“But luckily it was not greyhound tracks, it was private concerns [and] a lot of people don’t understand that they were privately-owned trial tracks.
“It’s obviously still not going to do the industry any favours.
“Sydney has already lost thousands and thousands in sponsorship with some of the big companies.”
The fallout from the investigation continues to have an impact on the industry, with scores of players suspended after being implicated in the controversy.
Independent Federal MP Andrew Wilkie has even led calls to ban the sport entirely.
