Malicious rumours about Paul Peter ‘unfounded and entirely baseless’

Champion trainer Paul Peter has been cleared of all whispers of wrongdoing by the National Horseracing Authority, the industry’s policing body.

Peter shocked the racing world earlier in September when he announced he had handed in his training licence, mere weeks after clinching the national title for the first time with a record number of winners.

He cited medical advice and “personal and emotional” reasons for the sudden decision.

Rumours were instantly in circulation suggesting Peter had been forced to retire by the NHA, the most persistent rumour being his horses had tested positive for doping and the NHA had leaned on him to quit in order not to besmirch the game’s reputation.

The key part of a press release on Tuesday reads: “The NHA categorically denies all allegations of Mr Peter’s horses competing with prohibited substances and since July 2018 to 10 September 2022 he has had no positive cases of prohibited substances. The allegations are therefore unfounded and entirely baseless.”

‘Unsubstantiated serious allegations’

This will be a huge relief to Peter, a thoroughly decent man by all accounts, who did not need toxic slander adding to the pressure of his personal situation.

The NHA said it had been aware of “unsubstantiated serious allegations” after the announcement that Peter had relinquished his licence. It said its executive management had been inundated with telephone calls and there had been “an absurd number of rumours doing the rounds on multiple platforms”.

Among these was a claim that Peter had “numerous positive specimens from his winners to date and that he was advised by the NHA to hand in his trainer’s license to make the matter ‘go away’”.

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The NHA said it did not take lightly “these wild and loose assertions”.

It emphasised that Peter asked to see the NHA chief executive to explain his decision – “and not the other way around”.

Due to Peter stable having had wins and places during August and early September, the NHA was not able to respond to the allegations until all the blood specimens for that period had been analysed. All the outstanding tests on Peter horses had negative results for prohibited substances, it added.

“It is extremely disappointing that malicious rumours of this nature, especially in the current climate that the horse racing industry finds itself in, further erodes the credibility and the image of the sport.

“The NHA prides itself in ensuring that all governance protocols are adhered to, and the motto of ‘no fear, favour or prejudice’ is strictly applied. The integrity and the legitimacy of the product, that has both local and international customers wagering billions of rands, is paramount in the execution of our duties.

“The NHA grants all stakeholders the necessary assurance that the rumours, must be treated as rumour and no more.”