Racing: Sexual harassment was reason for Buffham sacking

The Jockey Club yesterday made clear its reasons for sacking Roger Buffham, its head of security until last year, whose testimony provided Panorama with the bulk of the information used in Sunday's programme "The Corruption of Racing".

John Maxse, the Club's public-relations director, said: "It was never our wish to go public on the circumstances of his departure, however a distorted version has been delivered to the media and our hand has been forced."

The statement says that "allegations of sexual harassment were made by more than one member of staff" during an eight-year period at the Club and that complaints were made "in respect of the way Roger Buffham managed his team. At no time did any witnesses withdraw their statements".

"After a hearing at which both sides made representations and called witness evidence, the representatives of the Jockey Club concluded that Roger Buffham was guilty of the allegations and that they were sufficiently serious to warrant summary dismissal.

"When it became clear that his appeal was not going to be successful the Jockey Club reached a confidential agreement prior to a decision being made allowing Roger Buffham to leave. This protected the employees from the stress of having to give evidence at a tribunal on such sensitive matters."

Buffham yesterday refuted parts of the statement. He said: "I do not agree with substantive elements of the Jockey Club's version of events. Now that it has made this statement I will respond accordingly once I have taken legal advice."

The chairman of the British Horseracing Board, Peter Savill, yesterday announced a joint venture between the Jockey Club and the BHB to look at the regulation and security side of the Jockey Club's work. Although he denied the move was as a result of the Panorama programme, he did admit that the show had been "a huge embarrassment for racing – and particularly the Jockey Club".

"We have, effectively, two governing bodies," he said , "the BHB and Jockey Club, whereas all other sports and racing jurisdictions have just one."