Cardiff Gp

[Humphrey Appleby 13,961]

We are still left with the question of who is responsible at each individual SGP and might that be the promoters of each event, i.e those taking the ticket money , because ultimately it is they who have to make the refunds and incur compensation, should there be any.

BSI organise the series, organise the local hosts, and stipulate who has to build the track etc.. etc.. The FIM may have to formally sign off, but frankly what position are they in to refuse if 55k fans are expected to turn up in a couple of days? Quite simply BSI need to be ensuring that required standards are being met.

 

You can argue legalese till the cows come home, but who is going to turn up if the buck is continually passed when things go wrong? I might have been persuaded to go to the GP in Melbourne, but why should I take the chance if no-one will take responsibility for actually putting on a proper show and will hide behind small print?

[baldinhio 16]

THE decision to abandon a meeting as in Warsaw is the responsibility of the FIM. It wasn't Tony Steele's sole decision but after a collective verdict from the Race Director and the Clerk of the Course, who believed that the track conditions could not be improved, the FIM Jury (President, Referee and local FMNR delegate) and in light of the riders' refusal to ride they really had no option but to formally call it off. When riders claim, rightly or wrongly, that a track is dangerous and unsafe officials are left with nowhere to go.

 

You can huff and puff, threaten fines, suspensions all night long but if a rider did sustained serious injuries as a result of a crash deemed to have been caused by the track the repercussions would be endless.

 

At no stage were BSI involved in those discussions between riders and FIM officials on the Saturday night.

 

Who is ultimately responsible in Cardiff for providing a track which meets all the FIM requirements? BSI employ Speed Sport but it is also the role of the FIM to ensure that much of the structural work including fence, air barriers, starting gates (plural) and the track are in good working order. As Speed Sport are agents of BSI one can argue that BSI (as at Cardiff) are ultimately responsible if the track subsequently proves unfit for racing despite having been given the green light previously by the FIM.

 

In Warsaw it was the PZM who employed Speed Sport, admittedly at the behest of BSI, but the lack of a second starting gate, for example, is something that as far as I can ascertain right now is still under review. Olsen and Speed Sport will argue that they presented the FIM with a raceable track which was duly inspected, licenced and homologated. The FIM will probably counter that it was impossible to detect that the track would break up as it did and that was the fault of those commissioned to lay it, Speed Sport, and those who employed them, the PZM.

 

There are a lot of grey areas here and there is nothing concrete to emerge from the FIM as yet, at least not publicly, about Warsaw.

 

But I would say that the consensus of opinion is that in Warsaw it was an in-perfect storm. Track conditions were far from ideal, that cannot be denied, but many, including some of the riders who were there, believe that but for the interminable delays caused by the starting gate the meeting may well have reached its conclusion.

 

Had the malfunctioning gate been discarded immediately, and with no second gate, green light starts should immediately have been implemented in line with FIM regulations. Not ideal for riders used to looking left or right at a magnet but to exclude Jason Doyle on a green light start and then to rerun the heat with the tapes, which again didn't work, was borderline stupid in my opinion.

 

Not only that, all the time spent trying to rectify the starting gate and the personnel working on it could have been utilised better on the track itself which may have placated the riders. But while all these delays were going on the riders became more and more frustrated and the rest is history.

 

We are still left with the question of who is responsible at each individual SGP and might that be the promoters of each event, i.e those taking the ticket money , because ultimately it is they who have to make the refunds and incur compensation, should there be any.

 

Food for thought...

Thank you for the detailed response.

 

I am not convinced by your argument that BSI are not liable. Housebuilders such as Persimmon employ a number of sub contractors, purchase material from several suppliers and their work is monitored by the likes of NHBC and the Local Authority. Should the finished product prove defective it is Persimmon that is liable. Wicks proudly state "Its got our name on it" and back the quality with a money back guarantee. Reputable companies accept they are liable for the quality of their product and in most cases value their reputation. For BSI to hide behind the FIM, Olsen and the riders is disingenuous. Are we really to believe there was no contact with the riders (Nicki P appears to have been at the fore in getting Doyle excluded and the meeting abandoned) given:

 

Media interested in all aspects of either the FIM Speedway Grand Prix Series or Monster Energy FIM Speedway World Cup, including interviews with riders or other parties involved should contact:

Nicola Sands, Media Manager, BSI Speedway

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

NOT sure of the relevance of your footnote... however, believe me or believe me not, there was no BSI contact with the riders in Warsaw after the start of the meeting.

 

When the riders retreated to a room just behind the pit area on a number of occasions the only people allowed in (and I was standing outside the door - not quite with my ear on it!) were FIM officials including the Race Director, members of the Jury, Track Racing Director Armando Castagna and a representative of the PZM.

 

Eventually the three Jury members drafted an official statement confirming that the meeting had been abandoned and it was only then that BSI were informed.

[emerald tyke 49]

ARE you sure there wasn't music between heats last year? I'm often stuck down in the pits where you cannot hear much but thought there was...

Yes Phil I can vouch for the fact that it was scarily silent and non atmospheric at last yrs gp, I know its for the speedway we pay our money but there was nothing to get the crowd involved, songs to sway to with fellow supporters behind or mexican wave or even the 'bongos' where the camera panns through the crowd trying to play the virtual bongos. It all adds to the experience...I had 5 newbies there with us and theyre going again this year so please sort out some music Phil

[Jacques 3,114]

Yes Phil I can vouch for the fact that it was scarily silent and non atmospheric at last yrs gp, I know its for the speedway we pay our money but there was nothing to get the crowd involved, songs to sway to with fellow supporters behind or mexican wave or even the 'bongos' where the camera panns through the crowd trying to play the virtual bongos. It all adds to the experience...I had 5 newbies there with us and theyre going again this year so please sort out some music Phil

 

Definitely some music, something to get the crowd going..But please, not the Mexican wave, dear god, it was done to death donkeys year ago

Edited June 27, 2015 by Jacques

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

 

Definitely some music, something to get the crowd going..But please, not the Mexican wave, dear god, it was done to death donkeys year ago

WAS in full flow at one of the cricket ODIs the other day, although I would tend to agree with you.

[sommelier 1,118]

Stuart Robson did a very good talk on the practice at Coventry last night

[Trees 2,814]

What did he say?

[Gemini 4,894]

You're joking. He's from 'Up North' ~ couldn't understand a word he said.

[RAFA 6]

On Tuesday 23rd June there was a full official practice event at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium does any one have the full heat details please or know where I can find them

Cheers

[iand 133]

On Tuesday 23rd June there was a full official practice event at Cardiffs Millennium Stadium does any one have the full heat details please or know where I can find them

Cheers

Draw never made until Friday evening before the event.

[Fromafar 10,382]

Draw never made until Friday evening before the event.

Think you are talking about 2 different things !

[Gemini 4,894]

Draw never made until Friday evening before the event.

I think he's referring to this on June 23rd. http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=79576

Riders were just testing out the track so I very much doubt if full scorers will be released. Doesn't really matter anyway does it......or perhaps it does to some people?

 

Edit.....All my pratting around getting the thread and now I've been beaten to it.

Edited June 28, 2015 by Gemini

[sommelier 1,118]

What did he say?

Spoke very highly of the track, no ruts, very smooth

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

Spoke very highly of the track, no ruts, very smooth

RIGA too apparently ...

 

I think he's referring to this on June 23rd. http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=79576

Riders were just testing out the track so I very much doubt if full scorers will be released. Doesn't really matter anyway does it......or perhaps it does to some people?

 

Edit.....All my pratting around getting the thread and now I've been beaten to it.

HAVE emailed Chris Durno, who was the referee, to see whether he has a results chart although as previously mentioned there were no prizes nor points money.