Jockeys and BHA set for further meeting after 'long and very open conversations' around saunas at York

Jockeys and members of the BHA board are set to meet again next month to further discuss the use of saunas at British racecourses which was at the centre of "long and very open conversations" between senior riders, the sport's governing body, the Professional Jockeys Association (PJA) and the Racecourse Association (RCA) after racing at York on Wednesday.

The use of on-site saunas by riders on racedays in Britain has been prohibited since the Covid pandemic and the facilities were permanently removed from racecourses in 2021. During the pandemic jockeys received a 3lb weight allowance on top of the longstanding 3lb safety allowance. When saunas were removed permanently, that safety allowance was increased to 4lb and almost all race weights have subsequently gone up by 2lb.

However, calls from within the weighing room to reintroduce racecourse saunas to assist riders with their weight management have grown louder, with the likes of Richard Kingscote, Neil Callan and Tom Marquand among the senior riders to support their return. That was followed last week by the PJA officially calling for a U-turn, stating the removal of saunas had "created physical and mental wellbeing issues for jockeys that far outweigh any perceived risk of dehydration by sauna use".