A professional greyhound dealer was given leave by the High Court yesterday to seek an order quashing a decision to ban him from attending various greyhound race tracks.
John O'Sullivan, Rohan House, Rathronan, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, has brought proceedings against the Irish Coursing Club and Bord na gCon. On the application of Mr Frank Quirke, he was given leave by Mr Justice Peart to apply for a number of orders against the defendants.
Mr O'Sullivan was co-owner of a greyhound called Ballymac View, which won the final of the Oaks Race at a coursing meeting in Clonmel in February 2001. However, the dog was subsequently disqualified for a positive test of caffeine and amphetamine. In accordance with the rules of the ICC, the prize money of £25,000 and the trophy were forfeited, while a fine of €200 was imposed on each of the co-owners.
Mr O'Sullivan was informed twice by letter in summer 2002 that, unless the fine was paid and the trophy returned, a disqualification and exclusion order would be made.
He had paid the fine but said he was unable to return the trophy as he had given it to his sister as a wedding present. She was living in the US.
He was served last January with a notice informing him that a disqualification and exclusion order had been made against him by the ICC committee.
The wide-ranging nature of the orders against him effectively left him without a livelihood.