Mark Jones

[stevehone 3,425]

Being 15 had nothing to do with it then?

 

hmmm .. i thought Darcy was 16, it was the year he rode in the Pride of the East but couldn't ride PL

[scribbler 213]

Which is what happens. Therefore I think it highly unlikely that Mark Jones and all the other Commonwealth riders who have been here since the start of the season have been riding illegally.

But Mark Jones is the only one - as far as we know - who is going home after 6 months...

 

It's the query as to whether he came over on a 6 month visa that is causing the problem. It appears that sportsmen are excluded from riding for money (points) and to do so who invalidate the visa and could affect his career. There are various catergories of activities that can affect a visa...

[brewer 159]

But Mark Jones is the only one - as far as we know - who is going home after 6 months...

 

 

but has anyone come in later in the season for 6 months

[newportspeedwayhh 0]

The joys of the BSF, where you can push your own barrow without ever being called to account for it; make allegations without any proof and smear young blokes who haven't done anything wrong; where rather than taking the opportunity to ask the person yourself you stick it on here and encourage the conspiracy theorists to crawl out of the woodwork.

 

Great that Mark's leg held up to the rigours of the season, the last thing he would have wanted was this storm in a teacup; hopefully the Mighty HORNETS can pick up a replacement without upsetting everyone - as you say, Wanna, the Newport Promotion should act publicly, and as soon as possible.

 

You can always rely on our Billy to start the windings of an "anything" A good gun loader

[squall 270]

hmmm .. i thought Darcy was 16, it was the year he rode in the Pride of the East but couldn't ride PL

 

The Pride of the East was near the end of the season, maybe he'd just turned 16? He was definately 15 when he came over, rode for Boston then joined Kings Lynn in the PL the following year (last year) aged 16.

[scribbler 213]

The only reason why anyone is querying the legality of Mark Jones' visa, and to my knowledge he isn't the only one, is that it has been stated that he only has a 6 month visa. Unless the rules have changed you can only compete in the NL on a youth mobility visa which lasts for 2 years although you can come and go as you please during that time. Something doesn't add up somewhere as there is an obvious discrepancy between the validity periods of the visas in question. Maybe the rules have changed and that explains everything but it would be nice to know either way.

 

@ Jayne

 

In this weeks Speedway Star it states that Jones is returning home "... because of the end of his six-month work permit."

 

As stated previously a general visitor, aged 18 or over is not allowed to be in paid employment in sports - unless established at the highest level. To me this implies being paid a living wage - not the £10 a point at NDL level...

[dailager 0]

so cause its his work permit has run out not his visa dosent this mean this hole thread has been a w aste of time ?

[Jayne 312]

so cause its his work permit has run out not his visa dosent this mean this hole thread has been a w aste of time ?

 

 

It's all terminology at the end of the day because 'work permit' riders are not permitted in the NL anyway.

[dailager 0]

so the bspa dont know the rules as a governing body ?

[WIFFER2 0]

so the bspa dont know the rules as a governing body ?What rules are you referring to?

[dailager 0]

regarding permits and visas simples

Edited August 29, 2010 by dailagerlager

[Mr S Bear 10]

Following Mr Rogers claims was Mark Jones was returning to Australia because his six month permit had ran out and claims that this meant that Mark had ridden illegally in the UK, plus rumours that other riders may be riding without the correct paperwork, I decided to read the UK Border Agency (UKBA) web site, www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk, regarding who requires a work permit/visa to work in the UK and how long these last for it is clear that either Mr Rogers was misquoted in the Star or he was mistaken/misinformed on the type of work permit/visa Mark had or the reason Mark was returning home or Mark had been riding illegally in the National League.

According to the web site people like Mark, ie non EEA (European Economic Area which is the EU plus Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland) citizens can visit the UK and in some cases work in the UK subject to the following conditions.

Those just wishing to visit require a visitor’s visa which lasts for 6 months but they are not allowed to work and the web site expressly mentions not working as a professional sportsman and as Len Silver and Tyson Nelson found out claiming to be an amateur rider in the NL with this visa is also not allowed. Sportsman can enter the UK on a visitor’s visa and take part in their sport if certain conditions are met. These include taking part in a particular event or tournament but taking part in a league or a season is expressly not allowed unless the visitor is an amateur and is joining a predominantly amateur club and the club is in a league which is not regarded as professional within the sport.

Commonwealth citizens who wish to work in the UK and whose grandparents were born in the UK can get a patrially or ancestry visa which lasts for 4 years and normally allows them to be eligible for residence after this period.

Commonwealth citizens not satisfying the conditions to obtain the above visa and non EEA citizens must apply for permission to work in the UK via the points based immigration rules administrated by the UKBA. The system is split into 5 tiers and the ones associated with sportsman are tiers 2 and 5. In both cases riders would require endorsement from the sport’s governing body, the Governing Body Endorsed Sponsorship (GBE) mentioned in the Speedway Regulations, as recognised by the UKBA which is the BSPA. Riders who do not qualify under tier 2 ie the BSPA will not confirm they are internationally established as a rider and they will make a significant contribution to the development of the sport which one assumes would include riders wishing to ride in the NL need to apply under the youth mobility scheme of the tier 5 regulations. These require that the rider is aged between 18 and 31, sponsored by their own government, they apply prior to coming to the UK and the maximum stay is two years and they cannot work as a professional sportsman only as an amateur getting board/lodgings and expenses. The speedway Regulations, 17.4.7.6, also require riders with a tier 5 permit in the NL to only ride for one club during their stay and they cannot ride in the EL or PL.

The allegations regarding the legality of Mark Jones riding in the NL first appeared in mid August and so one assumes that both the Newport promotion and the BSPA must be aware of them but yet so far either of them has confirmed that Marks’ immigration paperwork was in order and are they willing to do so now or admit that it was not?

Also will the BSPA confirm that it is their standard practice, and if so do they intend to include it in the 2011 regulations, that they see all the necessary immigration paperwork/permits/passports etc of all non British/EEA riders wishing to ride in Britain prior to them riding for a team to prevent any future allegations/rumours of riders riding illegally or major problems with insurance companies if “illegal” riders are injured or with the UKBA or do they just accept the words of certain chosen promoters that the paperwork is in order.

[Trees 2,814]

This thread has got to be the bsf at one of it's worse

[June 203]

I'd like to think that behind the scenes the BSPA are addressing the whole situation regarding visas and permits.......? We need closure to this thread and until such times that they put out a statement this subject will not go away......someone will always bring it up.

[scribbler 213]

Following Mr Rogers claims was Mark Jones was returning to Australia because his six month permit had ran out and claims that this meant that Mark had ridden illegally in the UK, plus rumours that other riders may be riding without the correct paperwork, I decided to read the UK Border Agency (UKBA) web site, www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk, regarding who requires a work permit/visa to work in the UK and how long these last for it is clear that either Mr Rogers was misquoted in the Star or he was mistaken/misinformed on the type of work permit/visa Mark had or the reason Mark was returning home or Mark had been riding illegally in the National League.

According to the web site people like Mark, ie non EEA (European Economic Area which is the EU plus Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland) citizens can visit the UK and in some cases work in the UK subject to the following conditions.

Those just wishing to visit require a visitor’s visa which lasts for 6 months but they are not allowed to work and the web site expressly mentions not working as a professional sportsman and as Len Silver and Tyson Nelson found out claiming to be an amateur rider in the NL with this visa is also not allowed. Sportsman can enter the UK on a visitor’s visa and take part in their sport if certain conditions are met. These include taking part in a particular event or tournament but taking part in a league or a season is expressly not allowed unless the visitor is an amateur and is joining a predominantly amateur club and the club is in a league which is not regarded as professional within the sport.

Commonwealth citizens who wish to work in the UK and whose grandparents were born in the UK can get a patrially or ancestry visa which lasts for 4 years and normally allows them to be eligible for residence after this period.

Commonwealth citizens not satisfying the conditions to obtain the above visa and non EEA citizens must apply for permission to work in the UK via the points based immigration rules administrated by the UKBA. The system is split into 5 tiers and the ones associated with sportsman are tiers 2 and 5. In both cases riders would require endorsement from the sport’s governing body, the Governing Body Endorsed Sponsorship (GBE) mentioned in the Speedway Regulations, as recognised by the UKBA which is the BSPA. Riders who do not qualify under tier 2 ie the BSPA will not confirm they are internationally established as a rider and they will make a significant contribution to the development of the sport which one assumes would include riders wishing to ride in the NL need to apply under the youth mobility scheme of the tier 5 regulations. These require that the rider is aged between 18 and 31, sponsored by their own government, they apply prior to coming to the UK and the maximum stay is two years and they cannot work as a professional sportsman only as an amateur getting board/lodgings and expenses. The speedway Regulations, 17.4.7.6, also require riders with a tier 5 permit in the NL to only ride for one club during their stay and they cannot ride in the EL or PL.

The allegations regarding the legality of Mark Jones riding in the NL first appeared in mid August and so one assumes that both the Newport promotion and the BSPA must be aware of them but yet so far either of them has confirmed that Marks’ immigration paperwork was in order and are they willing to do so now or admit that it was not?

Also will the BSPA confirm that it is their standard practice, and if so do they intend to include it in the 2011 regulations, that they see all the necessary immigration paperwork/permits/passports etc of all non British/EEA riders wishing to ride in Britain prior to them riding for a team to prevent any future allegations/rumours of riders riding illegally or major problems with insurance companies if “illegal” riders are injured or with the UKBA or do they just accept the words of certain chosen promoters that the paperwork is in order.

 

Nice to see that a fellow supporter has done their homework - and come to the same conclusions as me. Throughout this thread I have given the same extracts from the UK Border Agency.

 

The final paragraph is also something I have been 'banging on about'.

 

In the 2011 season I would hope that supporters will be asking the same questions about any foreign rider in the NDL and soon as any foreign rider is chosen for a team. Not because we don't want them to ride over in the UK - but because we do not want a rider's career comprimised by promoters... and - through neglect - the BSPA. Promoters may not be concerned about a rider's future career but I'm sure that most supporters are. A short term gain for a team that affects a rider's ability to ride in the future is something that should concern us all...