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| Cheltenham Festival cancels booking in footballer urine row | Cheltenham Festival cancels booking in footballer urine row |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Cheltenham Festival has cancelled a booking from a sports management company after footballers were pictured apparently urinating into a glass. | Cheltenham Festival has cancelled a booking from a sports management company after footballers were pictured apparently urinating into a glass. |
| MK Dons midfielder Samir Carruthers was photographed apparently relieving himself on a balcony at the racecourse. | MK Dons midfielder Samir Carruthers was photographed apparently relieving himself on a balcony at the racecourse. |
| Northampton Town's James Collins can also apparently be seen pouring a glass of liquid over the balcony. | Northampton Town's James Collins can also apparently be seen pouring a glass of liquid over the balcony. |
| Championship side MK Dons and League Two Northampton Town both said they were investigating Tuesday's incident. | Championship side MK Dons and League Two Northampton Town both said they were investigating Tuesday's incident. |
| Cheltenham director Ian Renton said the incident was "totally out of place on this racecourse". | |
| A racecourse spokeswoman said the group had been booked in for the race meeting by a sports management company. | |
| She said the company's booking for the second day of racing, on Wednesday, had now been cancelled. It is not known whether the same group was due to attend. | She said the company's booking for the second day of racing, on Wednesday, had now been cancelled. It is not known whether the same group was due to attend. |
| Speaking to Sky Sports News, Carruthers said he had let his club down "massively", as well as the town of Milton Keynes, his team-mates and Cheltenham Racecourse. | |
| He apologised and said he had been disciplined. | |
| MK Dons said it had "commenced an internal investigation into the matter," involving Carruthers. | MK Dons said it had "commenced an internal investigation into the matter," involving Carruthers. |
| Northampton Town said it was investigating a claim that Collins was "involved in a drunken incident at Cheltenham racecourse". | Northampton Town said it was investigating a claim that Collins was "involved in a drunken incident at Cheltenham racecourse". |
| Collins is on loan from Shrewsbury Town, which said it would also investigate. | Collins is on loan from Shrewsbury Town, which said it would also investigate. |
| Bristol City defender Luke Ayling was also photographed with the group. | Bristol City defender Luke Ayling was also photographed with the group. |
| Bristol City said: "We are aware of the disappointing images from the Cheltenham Festival that have been printed in various national newspapers this morning. | Bristol City said: "We are aware of the disappointing images from the Cheltenham Festival that have been printed in various national newspapers this morning. |
| "We will be speaking to the players concerned and will take appropriate action where necessary." | "We will be speaking to the players concerned and will take appropriate action where necessary." |
| Live: MK Dons deny player threw urine | Live: MK Dons deny player threw urine |
| In a tweet, Cheltenham Racecourse said: "In regards to images of inappropriate behaviour from yesterday, we have cancelled their booking for today." | In a tweet, Cheltenham Racecourse said: "In regards to images of inappropriate behaviour from yesterday, we have cancelled their booking for today." |
| Carruthers, 22, was surrounded by race goers at the prestigious meet. | Carruthers, 22, was surrounded by race goers at the prestigious meet. |
| A spokesman for MK Dons - currently one point above the relegation zone in the second tier of English football - said neither Carruthers nor any other MK Dons player had thrown liquid over the balcony. | A spokesman for MK Dons - currently one point above the relegation zone in the second tier of English football - said neither Carruthers nor any other MK Dons player had thrown liquid over the balcony. |
| The four-day Cheltenham Festival is one of the highlights of the horse racing season, with the Queen's granddaughter Zara Tindall and the Countess of Wessex among the guests at this year's event. | The four-day Cheltenham Festival is one of the highlights of the horse racing season, with the Queen's granddaughter Zara Tindall and the Countess of Wessex among the guests at this year's event. |
| Cheltenham director Ian Renton told the BBC: "It's the last thing we want to see on the front of the papers after an extraordinary good day's racing. | |
| "It's totally out of place on this racecourse; it's totally out of place anywhere. | |
| "We have very strict terms and conditions for the general public coming to the racecourse - we expect them to behave and not cause any disturbance to others. | |
| "We had 68,000 people here and in general their behaviour was exemplary." |