Calacus Weekly Hit & Miss – Mercedes-AMG F1 & Robbie Dunne & PJA
Every week we look at the best and worst communicators in the sports world from the previous week.
HIT - MERCEDES-AMG F1
Formula One running costs have accelerated by 1000% over the past 30 years, meaning teams are relying on sponsorship liveries now more than ever.
Top teams have budgets of more than $400 million and predominantly rely on the financial support from corporate sponsors for funding.
This week, one such sponsorship deal caused a stir, when it was announced that Mercedes-AMG Petronas had agreed a collaboration with British construction company Kingspan.
Kingspan’s subsidiary, Kingspan Insulation UK, remain at the centre of an ongoing enquiry into the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire that killed 72 people, after it was discovered that the insulation materials the company had supplied during the construction of the tower were highly flammable.
Kingspan's logo had appeared on Mercedes driver Sir Lewis Hamilton's car as he won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix two weeks ago.
Hamilton said, when asked about the controversy, that he had nothing to do with the deal, adding: "Unfortunately my name is associated with it because it has been on my car but whether that remains the same, we will see."
UK government Cabinet minister Michael Gove added his voice to condemnation from relatives of the 72 people killed in the devastating 2017 Grenfell fire of the team's decision to add Kingspan to its financial backers.
In a letter to Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team principal Toto Wolff, Mr Gove said the Government could amend advertising rules on racing cars if he does not pull the partnership with Kingspan.
He wrote: “I am conscious that there are very real questions about whether Parliament would support a statutory regime that enabled a core participant in a public inquiry in to how 72 people lost their lives to advertise its products publicly to millions of families across the country.
“The achievements of Mercedes and Sir Lewis Hamilton in recent years represent a British success story of which we are all proud.
“I hope you will reconsider this commercial partnership which threatens to undermine all the good work the company and sport has done.”
However, to their credit ,Mercedes were very quick to respond, abruptly terminating their partnership with Kingspan with immediate effect.
In a statement, the team said: "The Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team and Kingspan today announced that they have mutually agreed to end their partnership.
“Both parties have subsequently concluded that it is not appropriate for the partnership to move forward at the current point in time, notwithstanding its intended positive impact, and we have therefore agreed that it will be discontinued with immediate effect.”
Kingspan said: "We are deeply aware of the sensitivities raised in recent days, and so we have jointly agreed that it's not appropriate to move forward at the current point in time."
The survivors' group Grenfell United, welcomed Mercedes’ announcement, saying it had met Mr Wolff to discuss its concerns.
In a sport where cash is nearly always king, Mercedes have done the right thing by dissociating themselves from Kingspan and underlines the importance of organisations putting values and people before profits.
In another encouraging move for Mercedes, Hamilton has been lauded for an incredible act of allyship after adorning his helmet with rainbow colours for the final three Grand Prix races of the season, in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Abu Dhabi.
The seven-time Formula One world champion presented the colours of the Progress Pride flag – a banner which recognises the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community.
On the Gulf States’ approach to human rights issues and discriminatory laws against women and LGBTQ+ individuals, Hamilton said: “We’re aware there are issues in these places that we’re going to. But of course [Qatar] seems to be deemed as one of the worst in this part of the world. As sports go to these places, they are duty bound to raise awareness for these issues. These places need scrutiny. Equal rights is a serious issue.
“If we are coming to these places, we need to be raising the profile of the situation. One person can only make a certain amount of small difference but collectively we can have a bigger impact. Do I wish that more sportsmen and women spoke out on these issues? Yes.
“It’s down to whether you decide to educate yourself and hold the sport more accountable and make sure the sport is actually doing something when they go to those places.”
Richard Morris, a British racing driver and co-founder of Racing Pride, stated that Hamilton’s gesture “fills me with hope”.
“It is an incredible act of allyship from Lewis to show solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, in the context of Formula One visiting a region in which LGBTQ+ people face discrimination and challenges to their human rights,” Morris said.
“So it fills me with hope that we are now seeing drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel be active champions for inclusion. There’s a lot more work to be done in the sport, but we are starting to move in the right direction.”
Hamilton has previously called on F1 stars and other sportspeople to speak out against human rights abuses. His friend and rival Vettel wore a T-shirt in support of the LGBTQ+ community at the Hungarian Grand Prix earlier in the season.
Hamilton’s gesture demonstrates the capacity the sport has to use its platform positively to promote values of inclusion around the world.
His message is clear and emphasizes the progress in Formula One’s position on diversity and inclusivity. By providing their fans with role models who are willing to speak up on important humanitarian issues, it is an indication that motorsport is starting to move in the right direction.
MISS – ROBBIE DUNNE & PJA
As with so many other sports, horseracing has gone through something of a transformation over recent years.
It was only in 1972 that Meriel Tufnell became the first female jockey to win an official horse race in Britain, the first year that they were allowed to race against men.
Forty years later and Katie Walsh finished third on Seabass at the 2012 Grand National, before Rachael Blackmore became the first female winner with Minella Times at this year’s race.
The Guardian said of Blackmore: “Racing has found a new icon to draw fans back to the track…she is the superstar the sport needed so urgently after a year with no spectators on the racecourse.”
Another star of the sport is Bryony Frost, who made history at the Cheltenham Festival in 2019, winning the Grade One Ryanair Chase, the first woman to win a race at that level and she went on to win the King George VI Chase with Frodon at Kempton on Boxing Day last year.
But Frost has suffered for her success, embroiled in a high profile dispute with fellow jockey Robbie Dunne which resulted in a British Horseracing Association (BHA) independent disciplinary panel banning him from the sport for 18 months (three of which are suspended).
Reports suggested that the problems began early in 2020, although a clash in September when Dunne’s horse Cillian’s Well fell, and was fatally injured, in a clash with Frost was thought to be partly to blame.
An initial report, detailed in The Sunday Times, exposed a culture of “bullying and intimidation in the workplace,” which resulted in Dunne facing disciplinary charges including “conduct prejudicial to the integrity or good reputation” of the sport.
When the investigation was first revealed, Dunne said: "What happens in the weighing room stays in the weighing room,” which gave the impression that he was dismissive of the concerns or complaints being levelled at him.
Frost’s formal complaint to the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) listed a series of incidents involving Dunne, dating back to her early days as an amateur rider.
Her father, Jimmy Frost, who won the Grand National in 1989, told the Daily Telegraph in January: “I just think it's a tough world at the moment to go into and it shouldn't be. It should come into the 21st century, and we should look after each youngster. It's probably getting to the stage where I would struggle to recommend a youngster.
“Bryony's got quite a lot of young followers, boys and girls. I've got one who comes for lessons once a week. They want to follow that career but, listening to her sometimes at what goes on, I wouldn't recommend them to follow that. It would be nice to see that change. Something needs looking at.”
The independent disciplinary panel ruled that Dunne had engaged in conduct online, on the track and in the weighing room that was prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct and good reputation of racing.
The panel heard that Dunne had threatened Frost by promising to "put her through a wing" and is also accused of using misogynistic language such as "f****** w***e", "f****** s**t" and "dangerous c***" towards her as well as opening his towel and exposing himself to Frost in the changing rooms.
Former amateur rider Hannah Welch said an incident after a race at Chepstow in November 2018 contributed to her giving up jump racing. She said: "He was shouting and swearing, standing very closely in front of me. I was crying. He did not stop.”
Louis Weston, representing the BHA, said in his closing remarks that Dunne subjected Frost to a "vendetta" which saw her ostracised by other jockeys and valets.
"If there is a weighing-room culture that allows one jockey to threaten another with serious harm to them and their horse, that culture is one that is sour, rancid and we say should be thrown out and discarded. It's had its time," he said, adding that racing "exerted a pressure on people who would otherwise speak freely.
“If what is being said, when you come to determine this case, there is a weighing room culture that allows one jockey to threaten another with serious injury to them or their horse, or to call another a whore, a slut or a slag then that culture is one that is sour, rancid and one that we say should be thrown out and discarded. Its time, if ever it had its time, has gone.”
Panel Chair Brian Barker said they had been "unable to accept Mr Dunne's sweep of denials, criticisms and his reasoning" as well as expressing "real concern" about the described culture of the weighing room in Britain.
Mr Barker added: "A man, who in the view of one of his own witnesses was a 'piss-taker', and who regarded himself as one of the elders of the weighing room and someone who expected his view to be heeded.
"The tenor and type of language that we find was used towards Ms Frost is totally unacceptable, whatever the frustrations about her style and whatever the habits of the weighing room. They fall squarely within the ambit of the prohibition set out in the rule.
"Secondly, in reviewing the evidence given and their approach by jockeys of repute as well as by the valets – who probably find themselves in a difficult position – we have real concern that what was referred to by Mr Weston as the 'weighing room culture' is deep-rooted and coercive, and in itself is not conducive to the good health and the development of modern day race-riding."
This sorry episode has shone a light on a toxic culture of bullying and misogyny, with Dunne a key proponent.
Perhaps tellingly, the Professional Jockey’s Association rejected the damaging assessment made during the inquiry about the culture of the sport.
It rapidly issued a statement after the verdict which said: "The PJA does not accept the disciplinary panel’s findings in relation to the culture within and collective behaviour of the jump jockeys’ weighing room. It is a grossly inaccurate and wholly unfair representation of the weighing-room and a conclusion we believe is at odds with the evidence presented.”
“The PJA therefore accepts that the language used in the weighing room will not always be the language you would expect in an office. This is no different to what happens in the pressure cooker of any professional sport.”
The tone of their statement was one of defensive denial, especially considering that Frost is also one of their members. While others may not have had the confidence to speak up, her accusations were considered to be proven, so why did the PJA not express concern for her and others perhaps less confident to come forward?
Julie Harrington, BHA CEO provided wise counsel: “As the chief executive of the BHA, there is a clear finding that Bryony was bullied. We will take time to reflect and hopefully the PJA will reflect with their members before speaking any further.
“But it is important for racing fans, for the public, for parents who want their children to come into this sport, that we can look them in the eye and are seen to be doing the right thing.
“I would like to praise Bryony Frost for having the courage to come forward and raise her concerns,” she said. “This was not easy to do but sport needs brave pioneers such as her if change is ever going to be made.
“The investigation and the serious charges brought highlight that there is no room for conduct of this nature within our sport. We believe this is an important moment for our industry.”
What reception Frost will receive in the face of such denials from her fellow jockeys remains to be seen.
She made a brief statement which said: “I would like to thank every individual including the racing public that has supported me not only during the last couple of weeks but throughout.
"I wish now to take time to reflect on the outcome before I make any further comment. I ask the media to please give me and the people closest to me a few days of privacy. I need to focus on my upcoming rides over the weekend. Thank you."
Dunne may not be the only jockey whose conduct warrants review, but this case has underlined the need to address genuine problems in the sport’s culture - and Dunne would do well to reflect on his own behaviour.
The fact that he has not yet expressed any regret for his actions speaks volumes about the level of transformation the sport requires if it is to be a welcome environment for everyone.