Enough is enough.
The race needs its own outspoken version of Erin Molan’s anti-cyberbullying and anti-trolling crusade.
The gutless trolls who are increasingly harassing jockeys and trainers with excruciating abuse and threats of physical violence are now causing serious concern.
These keyboard warriors, who are almost always anonymous with fake email addresses and fake social media profiles, must be eliminated, exposed and forced to face serious consequences.
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Some of the latest trash from last week was sent to a trainer with threats to break a jockey’s jaw and he came with a warning to ‘watch his back’.
Race participants have for many years taken the approach of simply retweeting this type of abuse and threats, in an effort to shed light on the problem.
But that is no longer enough.
Racing cyber trolls send despicable emails and Twitter messages. Photo: AFP.
The problem with racing is that stewards can only act if the gutter abuse and threats come from someone being fired, which is usually not the case.
But surely, given that we put a man on the moon over 50 years ago, there are bright spark cyber experts the race could use to identify disgusting cyber thugs.
Or some of these despicable threatening messages could be forwarded to the police and other authorities for investigation.
Once identified, fools could be banned for life from racing sites and even banned by bookmakers from having a bet and face legal consequences.
Of course, there should be no problem for bettors expressing their displeasure with a jockey or trainer as long as it does not exceed the limit.
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It’s a bit like football crowds who pay the entrance fee and then have every right to boo or even heckle the players.
Erin Mollan.
But when that turns into nasty personal abuse or, even worse, threats of physical violence, that’s the line in the sand moment.
TV personality Molan has shone a light on the issue, openly discussing his struggles with cyberbullying and insisting it’s time people who abuse others online face the consequences.
There are new anti-trolling laws and they give Australian courts the power to reveal who is behind defamatory comments and if no one is identified social media platforms will be subject to defamatory costs.
It’s time for the race to draw a line in the sand and force some of the trolls out.
Someone has to take the bull by the horns, Erin Molan style.
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