Racing: Lindsay: a man wedded to sporting interests

MAURICE LINDSAY has been a major figure in rugby league for two decades. As the force behind and later chairman of Wigan, he was instrumental in turning them into the dominant force in the British game during the 1980s, before becoming a controversial chief executive of the Rugby Football League.

Part of the controversy surrounding him there concerned his apparent unwillingness to give up his first sporting love, the turf. He was widely criticised for continuing to stand as a bookie at various racecourses, despite his assurances that he would no longer do so. Qualms were also expressed about his role in the hurried marriage with News Corporation that saw the game switch to a summer season and become largely reliant on satellite television.

In the end, it was a personality clash with the chairman of the RFL, Sir Rodney Walker, that saw him ousted from office last year. Lindsay, a bachelor whose life revolves around his sporting interests, changed horses to jump straight into the new job of managing director at Super League (Europe). He was also an unsuccessful candidate to succeed Lord Wyatt as chairman of the Tote.