Irish Trainer Banned Three Months for COVID-19 Breach

Trainer Brian McMahon has been fined €1,000 and banned from attending any Irish race track for three months, having been found in breach over COVID-19 guidelines.

McMahon, an All-Ireland minor hurling winner in 1997, attended the races at Thurles Dec. 20 despite having been at the Goffs sale at Yorton Farm in the UK three days earlier, thus failing to restrict his movements upon his return for the five days mandated by the government's COVID-19 protocols at the time.

The trainer falsified his health screening questionnaire in order to gain access to Thurles, answering 'No' to the question of whether he had traveled abroad in the previous 14 days. He also failed to provide the required negative COVID-19 result required to attend an Irish race meeting.

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board became aware of the situation only after the Thurles meeting.

The referrals committee convened via Zoom on Wednesday and found McMahon in breach of Rule 272(i), in that he had acted in a manner which was prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct, or good reputation of horse racing.

He was also found guilty under Rule 272(ii) as he had provided misleading information to a racing official by falsifying the health screening questionnaire. 

McMahon is banned from attending the races in Ireland from Jan. 21 to April 2.

"In his evidence, Mr. McMahon explained he had attended the sales at Yorton Farm on behalf of a neighbor with the agreement that his neighbor would instead attend the races at Thurles on Mr. McMahon's behalf," an IHRB statement read. "However, the day prior to the races at Thurles, Mr. McMahon was informed by his neighbor that due to unforeseen circumstances he would be unable to attend the races, at which point Mr. McMahon contacted three other individuals who held a stable pass for him.

"However, he was unable to obtain race day help for Thurles and he decided to bring the horse to the races himself.

"He accepted that this was reckless and completely the wrong thing to do and that following all the communication received from the IHRB since the resumption of racing that he should have been more aware of the gravity of the situation."

From Kilmaley, County Clare, McMahon began training jumpers in 2013. He is a graduate of NUI Galway and is a research and development biochemist by profession.