Mark Frost/atilla Stefani

[SCB 0]

Does anyone know why Atilla Stefani (Hungary) rode over here as Mark Frost (south Africa) for Oxford in '96? I've seen it mentioned a few times now and have never seen a reason why (or been able to work one out). Anyone?

 

 

Also, I've posted this once before, it's been deleted. I thought I might have gone mad and not posted it but when I typed the title into the box up the top it showed up. any reason why it was removed?

[JC! 142]

One reason could be that Hungary did not join the EU until after the millennium so maybe work permit issues?

[Guest]

Here is the wikpedia data for Attila Stefani's career as a Hungarian international speedway rider. There is a brief mention that he seems to have appeared as Mark Frost of South Africa in 1996 ro ride for Oxford.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attila_Stefani

Edited December 29, 2013 by Guest

[John Leslie 3,213]

One reason could be that Hungary did not join the EU until after the millennium so maybe work permit issues?

 

This sounds about right.

As a Hungarian he'd have needed a work permit, whereas South Africa were in the commonwealth, also would possibly have made a difference to his starting average?

I remember he only rode about a dozen matches, and wasn't very good, before he disappeared

[SCB 0]

One reason could be that Hungary did not join the EU until after the millennium so maybe work permit issues?

I did wonder that but he wasn't that good so it was one hell of a risk for a poor rider to outright lie about who he was!

 

I'm only amazed as thy seem to have got away with it that Matt Ford hasn't signed some rider nobody hes heard of from South Africa recently

[Humphrey Appleby 13,960]

As a Hungarian he'd have needed a work permit, whereas South Africa were in the commonwealth, also would possibly have made a difference to his starting average?

I think he'd have still needed a permit unless he could prove patriality. Can only think it was something to do with the assessed average.

[Guest]

 

Here is the wikpedia data for Attila Stefani's career as a Hungarian international speedway rider. There is a brief mention that he seems to have appeared as Mark Frost of South Africa in 1996 to ride for Oxford.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attila_Stefani

 

Here's another Link in the saga: http://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/969

 

One must still wonder even if recognised as a South African, how he managed to sign for Oxford? Were no official checks made in regard to his nationality? Maybe an Oxford supporter from that period recalls how the signing came about?

Edited December 29, 2013 by Guest

[Tsunami 10,219]

Attila Stefani was offered to us about 2003/4 when we were having a great problem to get a decent 8 pointer. At that time he was a decent rider on the continent, especially big tracks, and we were surprised he had not been snapped up beforehand by an EL team, cos at that time he would have scored reasonable.

Due to us being a Sunday track, the fact nobody had gone for him and that he was about 30 at the time, we did not proceed with the enquiry.

[frigbo 518]

Pretty sure it was to do with getting a reduced assessed average. Stefani used to race quite often in South Africa, so i guess that's where the idea came from.

 

The general feeling at the time was he had done ok and it was a surprise he didn't get retained the following year. Maybe he got rumbled?

 

I can't believe nobody questioned a 'South African' with an East European accent!!

Edited December 29, 2013 by frigbo

[Lioness 1,455]

 

 

Also, I've posted this once before, it's been deleted. I thought I might have gone mad and not posted it but when I typed the title into the box up the top it showed up. any reason why it was removed?

Can you give a rough idea when SCB? I've looked back until 16th December in the removed content and there is nothing from you. If you can give me a rough date before then I'll see what I can find out, if you think its after then then you have indeed gone mad

[SCB 0]

About 30 minutes before :/ if you say it's not hiding anywhere that's fine, I've worked in IT long enough to know it could be anywhere!

[The White Knight 9,039]

I did wonder that but he wasn't that good so it was one hell of a risk for a poor rider to outright lie about who he was!

 

I'm only amazed as thy seem to have got away with it that Matt Ford hasn't signed some rider nobody hes heard of from South Africa recently

 

 

He did - change the nationality from South African to Australian - D'arcy Ward.

[lucifer sam 3,953]

Pretty sure it was to do with getting a reduced assessed average. Stefani used to race quite often in South Africa, so i guess that's where the idea came from.

 

The general feeling at the time was he had done ok and it was a surprise he didn't get retained the following year. Maybe he got rumbled?

 

I can't believe nobody questioned a 'South African' with an East European accent!!

 

The Oxford fans couldn't get a word out of the bloke.

 

And a few years later, we found out why!!!

 

All the best

Rob

[Guest]

 

The Oxford fans couldn't get a word out of the bloke.

 

And a few years later, we found out why!!!

 

All the best

Rob

 

A great interesting item - but how did Oxford manage to get him cleared as a South African? Surely there is a procedure for this sort of thing?

Edited January 2, 2014 by Guest

[rusky 113]

The Oxford fans couldn't get a word out of the bloke.

 

And a few years later, we found out why!!!

 

All the best

Rob

I was in the pits at the time with Tomas Topinka, and yes Mark / Stefan was quite shy, but his English was pretty good. There was definitely an accent, but not distinctly East European and could well of passed for Afrikaans ....... We were quite surprised to see him riding for Hungary a couple of years later at a meeting we were at, and he suggested that he had some kind of split nationality between Hungary & South Africa, with a British grand parent on the South African side....