Dr Cyrus Poonawalla new Asian Racing Federation vice chairman

Mumbai, Feb 6 (UNI) Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) chairman Cyrus S Poonawalla has been nominated as vice chairman of the Asian Racing Federation, an honour which comes to an Indian for the first time.

The Paris-based International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) is the apex body that decides on all policy matters pertaining to horseracing and breeding worldwide.

To give a fair share of representation to the Asian countries, IFHA has given three seats to the nominees of the Asian Racing Federation. Out of the three seats, one goes to the chairman of the Asian Racing Federation as vice chairman of IFHA while the other seats of the Governing Council of the IFHA go to the two vice chairmen of the Asian Racing Federation, a release issued here today stated.

This year the nominated racing personalities are Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chairman, Hong Kong; Dr Cyrus S Poonawalla, Vice Chairman, India; Dr. Naoaki Koike, Vice Chairman, Japan; Guy Sargent, Member, New Zealand and Bob Pierson, Member, Australia.

Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, India and New Zealand are the five founder-member countries of the Governing Council Body of the Asian Racing Federation.

Dr Poonawalla will now represent Indian racing fraternity interest on behalf of all the Turf Authorities of India on the prestigious International Board of the IFHA, France, the release added.

UNI