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You posted a similar comment recently and received a great deal of opprobrium, yet you come back and try again. From their comments and behaviour it is clear that both riders abhor and condemn their country's egregious actions. Both are decent men who face having their livelihood taken away from them through no fault of their own. Only 5 countries, Russia itself, North Korea, Eritrea, Syria and Belarus, voted against the U.N. resolution condemning Russia's actions. Any decent person will feel sad, helpless and also admiration for the brave Ukrainian people's resistance and for their immense suffering and also support the West's isolation of Russia. Yet you post a truly pathetic post once again saying Belle Vue should capitalise on the situation. I think you must be a despicable lowlife to attempt to troll decent people on this forum in such sad times. It's not 'banter' or 'just having a joke mate lighten up'. You are a sick individual who should think long and hard about why you post what you do.

Thankfully there are people in the position to make such decisions who don't think like you.

Correct decision, in my opinion.

Then so be it. If they do unite and support this tyrannical regime then they should continue to be excluded. A terrible shame when globally we do need to unite on a number of fronts but we have to be clear that the actions of the Putin regime are not acceptable to the rest of society. What they decide to do in Russia is entirely their (or Putin's) choice. The west is far from a perfect utopia but we're all sure that invading another country and murdering innocent civilians isn't okay aren't we? Soo the west isn't right on everything but on this it certainly is.

Overpriced for NL matches.IMO

Some good opinions and counter opinions presented here which is what the forum is all about. If you consider a sporting event to be a party for people to enjoy then why wouldn't the organiser decide what sort of people to invite to the party? If you held a party at home you wouldn't invite someone who is undesirable and/or would make the other guests uncomfortable because of their view or actions. And it's about time we decide globally who to invite to our parties. Whilst that'll lead to the innocent competitors being excluded the message has to be clear, you're country isn't welcome. And pretending to not be from that country just weakens the message. You're effectively saying nobody wants you at the party but come in a disguise and don't mention the war and you'll be alright. If that message is clear then it's down to the residents of that country if they want to try and invoke change of regime/beliefs. The issue is wider than the invasion of Ukraine isn't it. If we're serious about having a world which is environmentally sustainable, where people of all race, gender and sexuality are treated equally why wouldn't we exclude all those countries who don't support by their actions those views. Look at the Premier League there's various well meant shows of support for anti racism and anti homophobia yet some of the clubs are owned by regimes which have dubious beliefs on these subjects. Can you take any of those messages seriously? It's tokenism. It's like saying we don't want racists at our party, by the way Tommy Robinson paid for the buffet. The message has to be clear.

FIM news: https://www.fim-moto.com/en/news/news-detail/article/fim-announces-its-decisions-in-relation-to-the-russian-invasion-of-ukraine?fbclid=IwAR2_h-ZaIs1isQdQWqokQXM_mV4OPLxjDBJWEdBFfHAL4Wdx3FBzv2xKZ9k

He's always been a dick under whatever name he uses to post stuff

Must admit I'm not a fan of multiple team building restrictions (I used to enjoy teams with different make ups facing off) BUT there's two good reasons for having them at present: 1. The heat format is biased towards a strong top two. Heats 13 & 15 trump Heat 2. And if you have a strong top 3 (i.e. 3 averaging over 8) there's only three heats you don't have a No1 standard rider in. Take Diamonds vs Pirates this season. King, Lawson and Worrall should go through the card. That's 41 points so they only need 4 points from the other 4 riders for the draw and they're basically guaranteed 3 of those points even if they concede 5-1's in heats 2, 8 and 12/14. Of course nothing is ever guaranteed but you can see that the odds are stacked and it all becomes a bit predictable. 2. If you restrict each team to one rider with an average over 8 you generate more supply than demand and therefore the less wealthy teams can afford to track a genuine No1 standard rider. A quick check of the 2021 CL rolling GSA's and there were 12 riders over 8.00 who are riding in 2022. Would have been easy to spread them about. Some might decide to sit out the CL but even if a team couldn't secure an 8+ No1 at least they wouldn't be facing teams with three of them. The nature of sport has to be fuelled by the desire to win but not at the expense of the product. Otherwise what's the point of winning something nobody is interested in? I guess the answer is Ego.

Another one that doesn't get it. Thankfully, as of today HaasF1 have terminate Mazepin's contract. All sports are slowly catching up

I'd be hard pushed to name many league winners in the last 5 years across all 3 leagues, its just not that important and in one case it cost the club its existence. You can watch a crap football match and be happy with a 1-0 win = speedway has to be entertaining, results second.

It isnt too difficult to share around the rider talent pool is it...? Which is far more important to the survival/development of the sport than any single team winning any of the trophies on offer.. Lose a team and 600 to 800 fans minimum a week are gone... Where as a trophy winning team wont get anything like that in increased admission numbers...

Or even more simplistic, have an overall team limit but a limit on the top 2 or 3 riders within the overall limit.

If they’ve got Lebedev then it’s a cracking signing. One of my favourite riders to watch for Krosno last year in Poland and should be well suited to B.V. home track.

Every league could have the same... If every rider was listed on here and you had to grade them one to seven, and put ten riders in each grade, I am 100% sure that the vast majority on here would agree on around 90% of the riders with the other 10% being a close call within two grades... Therefore, why not do the same when compiling the teams? One rider from each grade per team... Still use rider's averages, and keep a mean average maximum team points total to ensure no team can pick the best riders from each grade..,

Yet it's hardly unfathomable is it. At the end of each season you have a fair idea of how many riders will be available next season. Once you know how many teams are in the league you then know if there are enough existing riders to supply those teams or how many new riders need to be found, assume 2.00 pointers. Then you add up all those averages of the required/expected rider pool and divide by the number of teams. Then you have a points limit which helps all teams build equally. Not an exact science but better than having teams fielding teams under the points limit from the outset. The masses will complain that the product is weakened but what's better a league of 10 or a league of 14? Where all the teams have a chance of being equally matched?

100% re Div 2.... Best of both worlds currently, loads of Div 1 riders and the best of Div 3, and can ride on any night of the week, except Monday and Thursday, using the weekends which is a key time for the entertainment industry.. Standardised engines are for me one of the two major ways to reduce costs... The other (less popular I am sure), being "just pay less" to semi pro riders... Use standardised engines for league racing, sealed units, and similar to F1, any replacement parts must be itemised and records kept of each key part within the machine... Any changes can be viewed on Zoom, Skype etc and signed off by scrutineers watching, and then confirmed as still legal at the next meeting when the riders arrive with the bike.. Two basic GM bikes and machines per rider is what? £10k? And if any rider wants to compete at international level then they can do this using whatever level of machinery they wish to do so... Meaning, if they want to spend £30k (and often well above) on machinery replacing a box standard bike with best clutch, best carbs, best handlebars, best furry dice etc etc, to pursue individual dreams (which has very little in the way of positive impact to crowds at club level), then they can, but this kit wont be allowed to be used in domestic Speedway...

I'm not a fan of any club, I stopped going to Speedway in 1992 when I was 9, I think I've only just got back into it the last 10 years mainly GP's I go to Foxhall often most home meetings last year but only going to manage a few this year I would imagine Hope brum if anything put an exciting team of riders who battle if anything

There is some suggestion they could maybe apply for a Hungarian licence.

Sad but the right decision has been made. Many teams are made up of individual sportsmen as is the Speedway of Nations where these riders if selected would be representing Russia and when riding as individuals at GPs they represent Russia not Poland. Putin and Russia are not bothered about the innocent adults and children in the Ukraine who are suffering so sports people cannot be given special treatment just because they ride on a Polish licence, for convenience, rather than a Russian licence.

Great News! The Brummies socials are buzzing again, with something that the fans have been waiting to see and hear for a long time. And why? Could it be news of a new signing? Could it be about a mega sponsorship deal? Er no...it's of a video that shows legendary broadcaster Tom Ross, (BRMB etc) filmed at Villa Park, telling us how pleased he is that the Brummies are back in action again this year. What else matters, eh?

Maybe if they did what they need to do to ride in the Polish league and denounce their Russian citizenship they could still ride although the FIM statement already says they cannot. If they become Polish at least Poland might be able to win the SON for once!

We have a world champion and bronze medalist who HAVE spoken up against the invasion, and they can’t race because Putin invaded. I get that we have to sanction Russia and teams that represent Russia, but banning individual sportsmen feels wrong to me...

Nobody wants to see Smolinski

Should be the first 2 of the reserve list (so indeed Holder & Bewley) because the official starting list has been published some time ago.

I think it comes down to how normal Russian people perceive everything. After all people are demonstrating against the war, but are being arrested. They are not allowed to post or say anything against the government opinion. So it seems some or many know things are wrong and don’t support Putin. It is a matter of how many and how high up in the echelons they are. I have seen a report that one or 2 Oligarchs are against the war. Maybe over time one or two generals will also decide things aren’t right and maybe something will change. Certainly nothing will change if everyone ignores it and just let’s things carry on as normal, including letting Russian athletes compete under a neutral flag

I've never posted on the Forum about Black Lives Matter and I am not jumping on any bandwagon, what I am doing is voicing my opinion about Putin and his cronies walking into and murdering innocent people and I don't like what is happening. Short of sending in troops from outside of Ukraine and starting WWIII we have to hope the sanctions, which includes stopping Russian sports people competing abroad unfortunately, start to take effect. Yes the ordinary Russian people will probably think the West are picking on them but why will they think that, the answer is simple because the tyrant in charge of Russia blocks all the news broadcasts that he doesn't like that people could watch and any Russian who does dare to speak out puts their lives and that of their families in danger.

Oh dear. It's the regime that is being opposed. Not the Russian people. But how do you send a clear message to the regime that their actions will not be tolerated? Ban Putin from riding in the SGP? Don't allow him personally from accessing products/services from the west? The minimum we can do is send this message to the Russian public, the actions of your leaders are not acceptable and therefore you're no longer welcome as part of the global community. This represents a minor inconvenience to the Russian people compared to what the people of Ukraine are being subjected to but it is only the people of Russia who can plausibly end this regime without the situation literally going nuclear. As per an earlier post it might not work and the Russian public may support Putin and nothing will be resolved. That's their right. But it doesn't change the message. We don't want these regressive, aggressive nations to be part of the global community.

Plus that fact they will be banned here also. Nevertheless, moronic post

You stupid prat.

Idiot

Banning everything Russian may well have the opposite effect with Russian people and they might start agreeing with Putin that the West is bad.

That might be partly down to a news story I saw a couple of days ago, saying that any Russian spreading what it called "fake news" about what Russia is doing in Ukraine will face up to 15 years in prison. There is also, of course, the risk of getting something nasty put on your door knob if you live overseas. It is not as easy as we, in the west, might think. Maybe that is why Emil has deleted his Twitter account.

The more I think about it, the more I think that in the GP series Emil and Artem should not be involved if the current fighting in Ukraine continues. It's hard on them, but anything else just seems to be unacceptable whilst the fighting continues. I know that speedway is close to being completely ignored by Russian federations, and their exclusion probably won't even create a ripple in Russia, but a stand really has to be made... As a fan of GP speedway, I can honestly say that I hate the thought of having to watch Jack Holder and Dan Bewley rather than Artem Laguta and Emil Sayfutdinov in a GP, but if that has to be, it's the fault of Putin....I would love to hear all Russian speedway riders shout out about their hate for what Putin is doing, regardless of how irrelevant their voice is compared to some other much bigger sports stars, but it doesn't seem to be coming.

Div 2 in particular would need to drop its 'strength' and include far more Div 3 riders. Wouldn't bother me - I love watching up and comers. To be honest the main issue the sport has is costs. I don't know enough to say how bikes could be cheaper but somebody must. For me the day they allowed 4 valvers was the thin end of the wedge. If D1 riders can make a living by reducing costs we can put an end to the ludicrous DU/DD situation and charge less to get in to reposition the sport in the leisure market where it belongs - 12/13 quid. Puts on tin hat

Great News! Birmingham Speedway's social media feeds are buzzing with a video clip of an interview with Josh Auty. What else is important these days?

A lot going on in the background, hurdles to jump and finance to place but its being worked on and more than hopeful for 2023

We are absolutely delighted to welcome Ian Barney to Smallbrook Stadium on August 11th for the NORA British Upright Championship. Mark your diary, book your ferry, make a weekend or week of it and join us for the biggest upright engine meeting for decades and after party. Upright Racer Ian Barney Primed For Smallbrook Action Already seeded to the NORA Upright British Speedway Championship Final in August, Ian Barney’s name is instantly recognisable to the sports followers so Championship Co-ordinator Lee Coleman caught up with Ian to get his thoughts on visiting the Island for what will be a big night of racing. Ian said, “First of all, I am very pleased to be involved in the NORA British Upright Championship. We have had the Veteran Championships at Lydd in Kent for many years which I have raced in and enjoyed very much and now I’ve been given the chance to ride in a British Championship again on the Island! I will be riding a Jawa machine which is currently being prepared but will be finished shortly. Speedway for me started back in 1977 at Mildenhall and I loved riding there. During my time at Mildenhall my Dad spoke to Brian Clark who opened the door at Peterborough to offer ‘after the meeting rides’ which I did as soon as I possibly could. I was over the moon as I supported Peterborough Panthers from the age of eleven. I worked my way through from raw novice to heat leader, including winning the 1984 National League Riders Championship in front of my home crowd. I loved my years at Peterborough. I also enjoyed doubling up with Kings Lynn during these times. Sadly, all good things come to an end, or so I thought. A few years later I was asked to ride in the Conference League which I enjoyed just as much as I did in my heyday. I had a few years away but recently was tempted back which brings us to present day. This coming season I will be riding with the London Celts in amateur events which will help me keep race sharp and I also have other meetings in the pipeline which I hope will be great preparation for the British Upright Championship at the Isle of Wight. I will be giving it my best shot. There is going to be a very strong field of riders which will provide a highly competitive meeting which I am pleased to be involved in. I hope there will be plenty of support this coming season for the Wightlink Warriors as they are doing the sport the world of good. My thanks to Barry, Martin and Lee for the opportunity to race at Smallbrook, I can’t wait!” Meeting Co-ordinator Lee Coleman was equally excited saying “I am so pleased Ian Barney will be racing for the chance to win NORA British Upright Championship. When his request to enter appeared in my messages box I realised pretty quickly we were capturing the imagination of established names within the sport. Plus, we again have another Championship winning rider in the line up! I know he is preparing a bike especially for the Upright events, he is meticulous in his preparation and I’m sure Smallbrook will really suit him. Having watched him race through the years I know he will be giving 100% to support the event, both on and off the track. Ian is a great addition to what is a very competitive line-up of seeded riders.” The image, courtesy of Kevin Goodacre Photography and Speedway Star magazine, shows Ian immediately after his National League Riders Championship success.

No way can Saifudinov and Laguta take their places in the GP series. Even as neutrals. No Russians allowed, full stop. Whilst it is hard on these riders, there is no place in sport for nothing Russian. The ban on sportsman and women must be worldwide and include polish league and Swedish league racing.

My pick for Berwick's riding order: 1) Chris Harris 2) Ty Proctor 3) Theo Pijper 4) Leon Flint 5) Ricky Wells 6) Jye Etheridge 7) Kyle Bickley

Might be Glasgow's P&P that day ?

With Emil and Artem now banned from the GP’s I don’t see much chance of a Russian rider being allowed to sign for BV, would you be happy if he did?