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If football is anything to go by, all matches are being preceded by the "taking of the knee".  Formula 1 is following suite.

If there are any meeting that are going to take place this year (Oct, maybe?) then will there be a requirement for speedway riders to take the knee too? Or haven't the authorities who say that they spend 24 hours a day, 7 days a week planning for the resumption of speedway in Britain, thought about this yet? 

Because if there's one thing that's for sure, just as in F1, speedway in this country is a sport that definitely needs to address the matter of equality and diversity. F1 has announced that it's going to address the problem, will speedway follow?

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26 minutes ago, uk_martin said:

If football is anything to go by, all matches are being preceded by the "taking of the knee".  Formula 1 is following suite.

If there are any meeting that are going to take place this year (Oct, maybe?) then will there be a requirement for speedway riders to take the knee too? Or haven't the authorities who say that they spend 24 hours a day, 7 days a week planning for the resumption of speedway in Britain, thought about this yet? 

Because if there's one thing that's for sure, just as in F1, speedway in this country is a sport that definitely needs to address the matter of equality and diversity. F1 has announced that it's going to address the problem, will speedway follow?

You're suggesting the sport of speedway is racist?

Examples?

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 "speedway in this country is a sport that definitely needs to address the matter of equality and diversity."

Why do you say that?  Have you any evidence that potemntial riders other then white have been turned away from a practice track etc due to the colour of their skin?

Have you not noticed that certain sports are dominated by coloured persons, and other by white persons ie athletics/swimming. 

I have concluded that certain types of humans are not cut out for some sports but ok with other sports, for example cricket compared to motor sports. Moto GP doesnt have many/any coloured riders (though there are many asian riders.  I notice certain countries are predominat in sport in general, but many dont really compete on the world stage ie Saudi/UAR/Qatar/Iran/Iraq/Afgan/Lebanon.

So its each to their own, cant force competitors to do this or that, and IMO it would be wrong to spend a lot of money trying to coerce somone to do something they dont want just to satisfy some perceiced need.

 

 

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I doubt you are going to get the desired diversity on the track until you get the sort of diversity you are seeking on the terraces. Not sure why, but black and Asian people don't seem attracted to speedway meetings on the whole. But, back in the 70s when I was going with some local friends, one was an Asian kid. Plus I know one of my extended family who is an indian woman also attends at least Cardiff, now that Wimbledon is shut. Interesting that in the US at least black bikers are on the rise in numbers.  

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19 minutes ago, iris123 said:

 black and Asian people don't seem attracted to speedway meetings on the whole. 

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but, in general, nor do the majority of white people.

Speedway's main problem is trying to get anybody of any background to watch it. I'm sure all the promoters would be delighted if any ethnic minority adopted it as their sport.

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31 minutes ago, bruno said:

Imagine if speedway crowds took the knee, most would never get back up again

Reminds me of the wife while she down on her knees dusting the fireplace hearth - I say to her "while you down there you may as well kiss my feet". That gets her up quickly.

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Michael Holding (Cricketer) did a terrific job talking about diversity on SKY recently, he was superb.

For me though, Taking the Knee - definitely not. I would not kneel as I think it should be down to personal choice.

Having said that though - I totally agree with Bruno - I doubt if I would be able to get up again without help.

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10 minutes ago, OveFundinFan said:

Reminds me of the wife while she down on her knees dusting the fireplace hearth - I say to her "while you down there you may as well kiss my feet". That gets her up quickly.

Never heard the kiss my feet bit before.....

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Instead of saying BLM and those endorsing the cause by taking the knee (which may have had a double meaning back in the 70’s and 80’s particularly if you were North or South of the border) why don’t those aggrieved and in particular those supporting BLM say ‘why don’t we all try and get along together’ rather than break it down to colour and race and create friction. Many people are tired of every Tom, Dick,Harry and whatever you wish to call those classed as black, Asian, South American, etc. who simply object to anyone that does not agree with the BLM or similar point of view. Through history groups be they religious, colour or otherwise have come in for criticism, derision, the butt of jokes etc. and in some cases certain people need to be held to account, but has it not gone too far? To read that someone complained about a 1967 episode of the BBC Radio programme ‘Around the The Horne’ being repeated on 4 xtra and the corporation apologised says it all about the society we live in. Those who complain, get a life, those who have views, speak out without violence and those who disagree respectfully object and move on. Everyone has a right to an opinion, not just the BLM movement or any other movement.  If you want to live in a sanitised state, move to China, they have ways of dealing with Muslims and others  and do not tolerate any nonsense. Where do the BLM supporters sit on this issue?

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13 hours ago, iris123 said:

I doubt you are going to get the desired diversity on the track until you get the sort of diversity you are seeking on the terraces. Not sure why, but black and Asian people don't seem attracted to speedway meetings on the whole. But, back in the 70s when I was going with some local friends, one was an Asian kid. Plus I know one of my extended family who is an indian woman also attends at least Cardiff, now that Wimbledon is shut. Interesting that in the US at least black bikers are on the rise in numbers.  

This exactly. 

Teams like Birmingham and Leicester are in extremely mixed ethnic locations. 40%-50% of the local populations are non-white, and yet neither is there ever a "BAME" face in the crowd, (or if you do they are the exception) nor do the teams do the first thing to reach out to a new audience from minority populations. Yes this goes back to speedway being crap at promoting itself in general, but in the current climate, at least an effort to become more inclusive is surely needed, if not for the survival of the sport then to fend of accusations of being "white elitist".

So, going back to that other sport that could be accused of being white elitist, F1 has finally (under pressure from it's exception to the rule) agreed to take measures to encourage equality, diversity and inclusiveness (whatever they turn out to be), so shouldn't speedway do the same, or at least start talking about doing the same? 

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Some suggestions to get more BAME fans to be interested in speedway: 

Less restarts after someone makes a good start

Less tractors going round for ages.

More up to date music over the tannoy.

More modern stadiums.

Any other suggestions?

 

 

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14 hours ago, uk_martin said:

If football is anything to go by, all matches are being preceded by the "taking of the knee".  Formula 1 is following suite.

If there are any meeting that are going to take place this year (Oct, maybe?) then will there be a requirement for speedway riders to take the knee too? Or haven't the authorities who say that they spend 24 hours a day, 7 days a week planning for the resumption of speedway in Britain, thought about this yet? 

Because if there's one thing that's for sure, just as in F1, speedway in this country is a sport that definitely needs to address the matter of equality and diversity. F1 has announced that it's going to address the problem, will speedway follow?

I wouldn't hold F1 up as an example of how to "take a knee" it's been a complete shambles for them. Football has had "the benefit" of "taking a knee" behind closed doors and the TV companies turn the sound down while they do it, it'll be interesting to hear the crowd reaction if they ever open the terraces up again, most crowds can't keep quite for a minutes silence for respect when somebody has died... hence the modern day 1 minutes applause.

Personally I can't be doing with these grand gestures of taking a knee to demand equality and then driving down to the bank in their Ferrari's to deposit their £250,000 a week wages.

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