Lineker and Yeni-Jacobson cases have interesting similarities

There is a distinct similarity between the Gary Lineker saga in the UK and that involving jockeys Muzi Yeni and Billy Jacobson in SA. 

A “storm in a teacup” that could have been avoided is the first conclusion in both cases but — while the Lineker case has been resolved — that is not the scenario here with expensive legal counsel being brought in. The sort of move that might be made if a murder was involved.

Lineker — a respected football presenter — was suspended by the BBC for criticising the government’s immigration policy. After the majority of pundits refused to work for the BBC in solidarity with Lineker, the corporation climbed down, promising to review its rules on social media impartiality.

“So good to be back to some sort of normality and be talking about football again,” said Lineker when he resumed his position as the BBC’s No 1 presenter.

One would have hoped that some sort of “normality” might have been employed in the Yeni/Jacobson case which has come about after a fracas between the two jockeys at Greyville racecourse on February 13. But no — quite the contrary — with the National Horseracing Authority (NHA) employing one of the country's top legal experts, Gerrie Nel, to handle their side of the case.

In the Yeni/Jacobsen corner is advocate Nigel Riley who owns a stud farm in Gauteng so knows the ropes of racing — he won’t make life easy for the NHA but must be shocked that he is up against someone as big in legal circles as Nel.

Controversial racing issues

Controversial racing issues are regularly addressed on the Sporting Post website and this case has attracted a large number of posts.

One feels that one of the bloggers, Jay August, has summed it up well by stating: “This is painfully boring stuff — two men grappling on the ground over muttered words. That the industry must waste money on such nonsense says much about the emotional adolescents with money in this game who support this type of nonsense.”

Charl Pretorius, an award-winning journalist, chipped in by saying: “What the NHA are getting away with is shameful [and shameless on their behalf] and the members of the NHA board should be ashamed of serving on it.”

Business Day — and presumably other newspapers — have been waiting for an NHA media release regarding the case but none has been forthcoming.

The only clarification comes on the Sporting Post website which reports Riley seems to have scored early points with the NHA allowing both riders to return to race riding on April 1 — the date of the final leg of the Triple Crown at Turffontein.

So the conclusion has to be to let sanity prevail, as has occurred in the Lineker case. The longer it drags on, the more money in the pockets of the legal advisers.