Annamarie Phelps: BHA chair to step down in May at end of term with Joe Saumarez Smith taking temporary charge
BHA chair Annamarie Phelps to step down from board at end of May this year, with Joe Saumarez Smith taking over until September 2023; Phelps: "It has been a great privilege to lead the BHA during this challenging period for the sports sector"
Tuesday 8 March 2022 17:21, UK
The chair of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), Annamarie Phelps, is stepping down from her role on the BHA board when her term concludes at the end of May this year.
Joe Saumarez Smith, the BHA's current independent non-executive director, will take temporary charge until the conclusion of his term on the board in September 2023.
Phelps, a former Olympic rower and current vice-chair of the British Olympic Committee, took up the position with the BHA in June 2019.
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She said in a statement: "Following discussions with the Board of the BHA I have decided not to extend my time as BHA Chair beyond the end of the current term.
"This is a very important time for racing, with the recovery from the pandemic and the imminent publication of the Gambling Act Review White Paper both still very much on the sport's agenda.
"A significant review of the BHA is also underway, which will ensure that the BHA is future-proofed, efficient and has sufficient resource to serve racing's needs."
Phelps continued: "It has been a great privilege to lead the BHA during this challenging period for the sports sector, and to have recruited a fantastic CEO in Julie Harrington. I am immensely proud of what racing has achieved collectively in this time.
"I want to thank the amazing BHA team for navigating the pandemic and for keeping the show on the road behind the scenes, a role that is rarely acknowledged. It is a remarkable achievement that no fixtures were lost to Covid once British racing had become the first major sport to resume following the initial 2020 lockdown.
"I want to thank all those who have welcomed and supported me over the last three years, in particular those racecourses, trainers, owners, jockeys, stable staff and breeders who have shared their insight, aspirations and opinion, both here and overseas. I have loved the people, the racing and especially the horses."
Saumarez Smith, CEO of Sports Gaming Limited and Chair of British racing's Gambling Strategy Group, said: "On behalf of the BHA Board, I would like to express my thanks to Annamarie, who has brought a broad perspective from other sports to the BHA Board table.
"During her time as Chair, she has laid the groundwork for significant change across the industry in a number of areas, and helped us navigate a series of challenging issues, not least the coronavirus pandemic and the BHA's own governance.
"The agreement of a number of core governance principles is potentially a defining moment for the industry. I look forward to continuing to work with Annamarie until the conclusion of her term."
