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Forget this news story briefly, a side question. What's happened to the supposedly "random drug tests" in British Speedway & how on earth had he avoided one all this time?? 

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He did not turn up to meetings that "random drug testing" was taking place !! For some reason 

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1 hour ago, Neila said:

Was he really on drugs ?? Saw several times some very strange behaviour in the pits, once a team manager told him to get out of sight part way through a meeting due to his behaviour !! Then another time after falling off was screaming in pain, until he went in the medical room came out smoking something and seamed right as rain !! I'm saying nowt about the jail term but must deserve it

Neila , do you remember him dancing around the pits gate @ workington one year  and doing so crazy  moves that would shame a monkey on  a Bermuda trip ?  one of my mates pointed this out to me ,(yes i have mates ) and they do not  come in packets  . 

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11 hours ago, jenga said:

Neila , do you remember him dancing around the pits gate @ workington one year  and doing so crazy  moves that would shame a monkey on  a Bermuda trip ?  one of my mates pointed this out to me ,(yes i have mates ) and they do not  come in packets  . 

Jenga can remember him doing all-sorts of strange behaviours both at Derwent park and other places, think at last everything has caught up with him and got what he deserves

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17 hours ago, Daniel Smith said:

Forget this news story briefly, a side question. What's happened to the supposedly "random drug tests" in British Speedway & how on earth had he avoided one all this time?? 

I have seen and been told about the drugs tester visiting Arlington. Apparently, he was a former police officer, now working for the testing organisation. He turned up out of the blue. 

Apparently, I was told, the riders to be tested were chosen at random.

The test is – again this is what I was told  - is analysed at the track before racing starts. Anyone testing positive is out of the meeting.

My memory says that random tester has twice been to Eastbourne in recent years.

I'm not sure reports of testing get routinely publicised but I have seen the tester in the pits myself so it does happen.

Speedway is a close knit group of people and maybe word gets out to riders when the tester turns up.

Fans may not see the tester at other tracks especially where they are prohibited from the pits. Eastbourne allows fans in pits from time turnstiles open until about 45 mins before meeting starts. Lots of Eagles fans arrive early and go to the pits every meeting so we know when a 'stranger' turns up, especially with a briefcase etc and takes riders off to to do test in private.

Edited by Richard Weston
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Although I don't condone his crimes, I find myself fascinated by Garrity's character. His life, I bet, has some tale to tell.

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44 minutes ago, moxey63 said:

Although I don't condone his crimes, I find myself fascinated by Garrity's character. His life, I bet, has some tale to tell.

not fascinating at all, without speedway he would have done worse for longer. Drug addiction usually ends one way only. 

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48 minutes ago, moxey63 said:

Although I don't condone his crimes, I find myself fascinated by Garrity's character. His life, I bet, has some tale to tell.

I’m sure his victims have a tale to tell, especially the pensioners. 

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I'm sure I stated I didn't condone what he'd done. I was also sure someone would take offence that I felt Garrity would have a fascinating story behind him.

For starters, I always wondered where someone like Garrity had come across his thousands to purchase his speedway gear at a young age.

It would also be worth seeing, how many that are criticising Garrity actually bought a book about Kenny Carter, who did far worse.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Edited by moxey63

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20 hours ago, Neila said:

He did not turn up to meetings that "random drug testing" was taking place !! For some reason 

You can't help but wonder if the tests could be made slightly less random. Surely if a rider is a persistent drug user, such knowledge will become well known in a tight knit community. It wouldn't be difficult to "arrange" a test.

In fact, evidence of drug taking should be treated in just the same way as a rider smelling of alcohol. There must be provision in the rules for the Clerk of the Course to prevent a rider from riding.

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9 minutes ago, False dawn said:

You can't help but wonder if the tests could be made slightly less random. Surely if a rider is a persistent drug user, such knowledge will become well known in a tight knit community. It wouldn't be difficult to "arrange" a test.

In fact, evidence of drug taking should be treated in just the same way as a rider smelling of alcohol. There must be provision in the rules for the Clerk of the Course to prevent a rider from riding.

Multi-drug saliva test kits are available for around £4 each, purchased in bulk much less no doubt; so 14 tests would cost less than £50. Why not test every rider at every meeting? 

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Speedway would have been failing a duty of safety to allow a competitor to race under the influence.

If Garrity was aware there'd be a random test at a meeting and he didn't show up, that weakness in the testing procedure is speedway's fault, surely?

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22 minutes ago, False dawn said:

You can't help but wonder if the tests could be made slightly less random. Surely if a rider is a persistent drug user, such knowledge will become well known in a tight knit community. It wouldn't be difficult to "arrange" a test.

In fact, evidence of drug taking should be treated in just the same way as a rider smelling of alcohol. There must be provision in the rules for the Clerk of the Course to prevent a rider from riding.

I've known of riders suddenly straining their backs getting their bike out of their van when it was known the tester was around. Also engine tests being carried out after the meeting and a 'suspect' doesn't have a good night. :o  All random of course.

One night a well known rider rode very average at Brough, and whilst having his engine checked over by the late Will Hunter, technical expert and ex ref, the rider just smirked as if he knew he wouldn't be caught. Who says some riders are not told, and it was not random I can assure you. Our home rider, knew that and why it was happening, was livid as his tuned engine was tampered with on the inspection and as he said, "It's all very well trying to catch him, but now I have to have a full retune and all I get it is a standard £400 fee".

Edited by Tsunami

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3 hours ago, Richard Weston said:

Speedway is a close knit group of people and maybe word gets out to riders when the tester turns up.

I occasionally worked for WADA/UKAD in other sports and if Garrity was down to participate in a meeting then failed to show he should have been banned until he undertook a test or supplied a medical certificate.
If a rider refused to undertake a test he would be automatically excluded from the meeting and all future meeting until he did take one.
Testing can take place in-competition at events or at training/practice events or even at a rider's home with no advance notice given with elite/professional sportsmen usually having to give a copy of their diary and schedule to their sporting authorities so their whereabouts is known.

I concur testing all riders for substance abuse would only be a good thing  but sadly on-site testing is not always 100% accurate and false readings  can occur asa result of taking prescribed or over the counter medication as happened with a well known rider a few years ago

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1 hour ago, Tsunami said:

I've known of riders suddenly straining their backs getting their bike out of their van when it was known the tester was around. Also engine tests being carried out after the meeting and a 'suspect' doesn't have a good night. :o  All random of course.

One night a well known rider rode very average at Brough, and whilst having his engine checked over by the late Will Hunter, technical expert and ex ref, the rider just smirked as if he knew he wouldn't be caught. Who says some riders are not told, and it was not random I can assure you. Our home rider, knew that and why it was happening, was livid as his tuned engine was tampered with on the inspection and as he said, "It's all very well trying to catch him, but now I have to have a full retune and all I get it is a standard £400 fee".

I was shocked to recently discover that putting a short stroke piston into a long stroke cylinder actually increases the capacity but is quite a common practice.
As regards engine inspections I know of two incident, one involving a Diamonds rider who refused to let the referee check his carb size using the SCB supplied measuring gauge until he was shown it had been Vernier Measurement certified for accuracy and the other involved a top rider refusing to pre-meeting inspection of his carb in the pits because of the amount of dirt about.

 

 

Edited by cinderfella
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