MARK246 243 Posted August 17, 2014 Incidentally, Ward didn't look or sound at all 'hungover' in his TV interview, so was probably not 'pissed' as you put it! (and I'm not excusing it!!) Maybe they should have interviewed him before the start of the meeting, not hours later 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E I Addio 15,846 Posted August 17, 2014 Ed Kennett got a six month worldwide ban and a £2500 fine for using an illegal silencer. Should a similar penalty be imposed on Darcy for being over the limit? Taking Kennett's ban as a yardstick should Darcy get more, less or the same ? What do people think ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SCB 0 Posted August 17, 2014 I wouldn't put money on it!!! Maybe 'random' testing should become compulsory testing before ever GP - it might explain some riders' unexpected performances!! Incidentally, Ward didn't look or sound at all 'hungover' in his TV interview, so was probably not 'pissed' as you put it! (and I'm not excusing it!!) I said he got pissed the night before. Not minutes before the GP. Don't forget the GP started at 3pm local time so eve if he stopped drinking at minight that was 15 hours to sober up - even the most lightweight of drinkers will have sobered up enough to appear on the tele and not be pissed in 15 hour (plus the hour and a half it took for him to be on tele) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buttons 370 Posted August 17, 2014 (edited) Cannot believe this guy he is such a talent, but how much more trouble is he going to get into, the others problems are well documented so I won't go into them again, but now he has failed an alcohol test. Whatever was he thinking, whatever bad news he has recieved there is no excuse whatsoever for drinking too much the night before your riding in a match or a GP, if the news was as bad as he says and he felt he needed a drink maybe he should have pulled out of the GP!! The authorities must not push this under the carpet, whatever pressure if any maybe put on them as no doubt Darcy is a crowd puller, our sport needs to have some credibility. Edited August 17, 2014 by Buttons 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
orderly 174 Posted August 17, 2014 First of all, what is the limit for riding a speedway bike? Is this a speedway regulation or a local regulation? The alcohol drink driving limit for road users varies massively country to country. Perhaps they forbid any alcohol at all? It's not uncommon for somebody to drink heavily one night, and feel fine the next day but still be over the legal limit. I'm just saying it's not uncommon for somebody his age to have a heavy Saturday night and not realize the effects might last so long. He could of been well under our legal drink drive limit in the UK but over theirs in Daugavpils. Not defending him, just brain storming. Doesn't always pay to judge somebody without the facts. It is only fair that any potential ban considers all factors of his defense, and so should we. The alcohol limit for all riders, Promoters, and all other officials including track staff is ZERO. there would not have been time for a result on any other substance unless they have a Laboratory at the track. All riders know what the limit is and in my days of involvement in speedway I always advised that they do not drink alcohol for at least 24 hours before a meeting 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Star Fever 274 Posted August 17, 2014 Not strictly true! Many people in everyday life DO take to alcohol and many go on to ride/drive motor vehicles, putting themselves and other road users at risk!! And when they are caught, they are punished as Darcy should be!! Has it ever been proved however that ANY amount of alcohol 'puts themselves and others at risk' ? IF the FIM's limit is an absolute zero amount then its a bit harsh as that means he couldn't even have a shandy!! No doubt Darcy had had a few but it's unknown whether he'd reached any significant limit. Maybe any other day he'd have been fine if it had been an evening GP as normal because it'd have worn off but he certainly spoke quite lucidly when interviewed and indeed was man enough to admit he'd made a mistake. Whilst not condoning his actions as he was obviously aware of the consequences, I agree that YES if he'd exceeded the FIM limit the ban from this GP is correct, but to ban him from the rest of the GPs or anything else would be an over the top reaction imo. IF however, he does this regularly then maybe missing this GP will make him think twice before doing it again. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mtommo 39 Posted August 17, 2014 this will be interesting to see what happens being as he is a monster rider Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ghostwalker 1,859 Posted August 17, 2014 No way am I trying to defend the idiot but does anyone know if alcohol tests are normal at GPs or are they random? I guess what I'm asking is did someone see him drinking and reported it. As I wrote in the thread in the GP section; There are tests at each GP but I think what riders are tested are random but that there might be more frequent tests of riders that are suspected to be under influence of a forbidden substance (which alcohol is during meetings). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mouncers monkeymask 18 Posted August 17, 2014 Should have the same ban Steffan Danno did for failing a breath test , can't be one rule for and a different one for another 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
g13webb 4,254 Posted August 17, 2014 There are posters on here who will say its a Poole thing, but you couldn't be further from the truth. We all know Darcy has immense talent, but he has no defence of a crime this bad. Bearing in mind Michael Lee got ban for 12 months for upsetting the Powers at b, a similar ban must be expected as a minimal penalty for Darcy. During which time, hopefully he will have grow up and be the Champion everyone prophesises when he come back.. Today, not only did he let the Fans down, the sponsors, his clubs, and the sport, but he also let himself down . Big time...... And Middlo, he has no excuse...... 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
orderly 174 Posted August 17, 2014 (edited) Cannot believe this guy he is such a talent, but how much more trouble is he going to get into, the others problems are well documented so I won't go into them again, but now he has failed an alcohol test. Whatever was he thinking, whatever bad news he has received there is no excuse whatsoever for drinking too much the night before your riding in a match or a GP, if the news was as bad as he says and he felt he needed a drink maybe he should have pulled out of the GP!! The authorities must not push this under the carpet, whatever pressure if any maybe put on them as no doubt Darcy is a crowd puller, our sport needs to have some credibility. if you live in a glass house then don't throw any stones. Darcy is a very young lad and living on the other side of the world to his family, and I understand that is his choice, but given the situation he was in what would you have done, I don't condone his actions, but I can understand the action that he did take, but first read my first sentence,he may well be a very mature lad as far as speedway racing is concerned but he may not be as mature in life skills, it could be that his removal from the GP was a blessing in disguise as his mind would not have been 100% on his racing which could have had dire consequences. Edited August 17, 2014 by starshooter Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dave69 1,534 Posted August 17, 2014 this will be interesting to see what happens being as he is a monster rider If Monster had any bollocks it should read "...was a Monster rider." 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ghostwalker 1,859 Posted August 17, 2014 The alcohol limit for all riders, Promoters, and all other officials including track staff is ZERO. there would not have been time for a result on any other substance unless they have a Laboratory at the track. All riders know what the limit is and in my days of involvement in speedway I always advised that they do not drink alcohol for at least 24 hours before a meeting Alcohol limit for a rider at meeting is: blood alcohol concentration of 0.10 g. "P1. ALCOHOL¨(page 67); http://www.fim-live.com/fileadmin/alfresco/6572010_ang_ANTI-DOPING.pdf Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ColinMills 1,728 Posted August 17, 2014 so if they ban him and he drop out of the top 8, you know full well, some idiot will hand him a wildcard next year! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSC67 1,465 Posted August 17, 2014 Ed Kennett got a six month worldwide ban and a £2500 fine for using an illegal silencer. Should a similar penalty be imposed on Darcy for being over the limit? Taking Kennett's ban as a yardstick should Darcy get more, less or the same ? What do people think ? IMHO He should receive at least an 18 month ban maybe that would give him time to reflect on his behaviour 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
