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Might tempt Joe Screen back into the saddle for Brummies

The Discovery Sports Statement is clear that they won't be in the series "Discovery Sports Events supports the FIM board’s decision to suspend the Russian and Belarusian motorcycling federations. Therefore, Artem Laguta and Emil Sayfutdinov will not compete during the FIM Speedway GP 2022 season. We hope to see them back in Speedway GP when the international situation will allow it. François Ribeiro, Head of Discovery Sports Events"

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.

Would make a good pre season warm up in early March. BUT Can you imagine how you'd have been laughed at for suggesting this 10 years ago?

Good. Maybe find a job for some of you who have to much time on your hands.

Well done FIM

Your bitterness towards Mark Lemon is boring as hell, every opportunity you are slagging him off.

Yes, of course, but times are changing and France v Great Britain would now make a pretty good international match. The French have made very good progress.

Correct decision, in my opinion.

Apologies, i have jumped the gun on some of your original post, i completely agree on the basis of the pedigree of certain teams and riders should produce a better meeting

Very true but my point is, at this point in time you can make a judgement on whether or not Glasgow vs Poole might be a good meeting because you have an idea of the line ups. That can't be said of Berwick vs Brum can it. At present it's the proverbial tin without a label on it. Unless those responsible for selecting the match know how Birmingham will line up. So why take the risk of broadcasting a fixture which could feature an under strength team away from home. The chances of that being a poor meeting must be higher than that of any fixture in which you know the line ups feature evenly matched teams. That's just obvious. This is a business which could dramatically improve the finances of the BSPL. So don't take unnecessary risks with the content, especially with the first offering.

Looks like they are keeping the shale track,so maybe hope for speedway yet,in years to come.

The laughable thing is that his bitterness was towards Adrian Smith, but now that Smith has moved on, he's had to find a new target to attempt to troll. What an absolute sadsack

I struggle to get to matches all the time now due to a bad knee so this is great for me , 30 meetings fo £103 is very good value

No not bitter, I only comment as I see it as it is and history proves he’s simply not up to the job. Why should we accept a third rate TM who’s basically achieved nothing?

Tickets these days ARE a nightmare.....I had a ticket emailed to me at 6pm on the same day I saw The Sisters Of Mercy at the Camden Roundhouse....I'd been in London since the day before fretting about it despite having purchased it 5 months previous ....nightmare

It is villa park . I think what the poster is eluding to is that Tom been a big Birmingham city fan is probably not buzzing at been at vile park .

Exactly the point I've been making for years. Just had a look at the BSPA Rolling Averages to see who's ridden in the UK recently. Deducting those that I know have retired now, (Schlein, Pedersen, Crump etc) and removing duplicate entries, there are now 137 riders featured, including NDL riders. Doing the maths, that's only enough to populate 19.5 teams, or 19 teams and 4 riders spare in case of injuries. And yet there are currently 25 teams in existence, meaning that doubling up is inevitable. And some people seriously want to expand that even as far as 30 teams? Seriously???

Are todays audience really that one dimensional? The trend for crowd levels would suggest not. Successful teams will certainly attract more through the turnstiles but turning up to watch a guaranteed home win sounds a bit dull. Especially if you're poor away from home and not challenging for honours. Certainly if you're losing at home week after week without being competitive that's a massive turn off but I think the public realise that in a sporting contest there has to be winners and losers but it's the jeopardy that makes it interesting. I think most people are satisfied if their team has performed well and they have been entertained. Which should be exactly what you enable if you have fairly prepared tracks and evenly balanced teams. This is even more important if you're looking to attract streaming income from neutrals. As it stands would you pay to see Poole and home to Newcastle? I'm a Diamonds fan but wouldn't pay to see a guaranteed massive home win in a match of little or no entertainment and zero jeopardy. This win at home at all costs attitude is part of the problem. They even got rid of the 2 points for a close home win "because it felt like a loss". No it added jeopardy and excitement right up to the final heat.

I would also think sponsors might drop out . But as I said a while back I doubt it would be safe for them traveling around Poland/Europe.

Round 7 of the SuperLeague is now live https://m.vk.com/video-117596093_456240836?list=club117596093%2Fpl_-117596093_-2

Not really .... You could have the greatest track of all time and be as entertaining as you like but if lose the crowds will drop ...Results will always nearly come first

Part of ‘the great reset’ every leader of any country are all on same page, follow the script ,nothing makes common sense these days

It’s a country that takes a lot of pride Is in winning and being the best…. Hence the cheating. Putin loves the glory. Added to all the other sanctions and it just may jolt him and his cronies. Some non Russian businesses are losing money, lots of money, to penalise Russia for that they doing. The people in Ukraine haven’t done anything to deserve the pain they have…. except for being born there. They have lost loved ones, their homes, their income. So there are reasons behind it and it has been discussed for days on this forum, but it is not this forum that is banning them., though most who have participated in the discussion agree with it.

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

I made my first visit to Marmande today where they won 56 - 42. Good to see some riders that we don’t see much in the UK. The famous grass track (that surrounds the Speedway track) looked pretty impressive also with three distinct straights! Might return for the grass track one day!

Quite right. Don’t know why you didn’t bother to spell Botox properly but it’s obviously getting under your skin!

I think it’s in the FIM rulebook that for a single year, it’s one license. So if they already had their licenses sorted (could well be they had, practise now started), they cant change it. And reading news how Polish people are taking care of UA people, how many more tickets is ekstraliga gonna sell if they welcome the lagutas and emil on a PL license

The following is copied from the Sportowefakty website. "After the FIM announced on Saturday afternoon that the licenses of players from Russia and Belarus were suspended , PZM also reacted very quickly . The national federation followed the recommendation of its superior and did not allow any Russian and Belarusian starts in our country until further notice. We were the first to inform about the fact that PZM activists do not intend to apply the reduced tariff to the Russians . "Due to the illegal armed invasion of Russia on the territory of Ukraine, as well as the fact that this brutal attack is supported by the Belarusian state, the Polish Motor Union excludes until recalling Russian and Belarusian competitors from participating in sports competitions in motor sports organized on Polish territory" - he gave PZM in an official announcement. The move by PZM is a blow to several Polish clubs, including those competing in PGE Ekstraliga . It means that permission for starts should not be granted, inter alia, Artiom Łaguta , Emil Sajfutdinow and Grigorij Łaguta ."

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.

Their Polish Passports and Citizenship was gained by Polish Clubs to make it easier to fit into their squads and journeys in and out of Poland for those meetings easier. Which country do they represent on the International Stage It doesn't matter that you think te GP is devalued by them not being in it when unless there's some very radical changes we're on the verge of WW3. The Rest of the World are working on the theory that by preventing Russians taking part in sports and introducing financial/business constraints that the Russians will sort out the Putin problem. As for Sayfudtinov his best years of being World Champion passed him by while his manager advised him to give the GPs a miss

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

I think they changed the rules 2 years ago that the next in line from the Challenge don't now get promoted.

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

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

Overpriced for NL matches.IMO

Sorry to be a doom monger but even if just 4 if these tracks open up which is a strong possibility that needs another 28 riders from somewhere . Even with doubling down don't think there's enough out there

I'm inclined to think beating Woffinden, Fricke and Michelsen in a single meeting suggests he might be ok at the NSS.

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

Lebedevs is not rubbish

What about the rights of those that happen to be born in Ukraine. As individuals they not the fault of a war starting but under false reasons they are under attack. Because so many individuals citizens have already been killed, does that mean they are all Nazis and responsible for ethnic cleansing, because that is what Russia claims to be a main reason for entering the country on “manoeuvres”. Businesses are cutting ties with Russia, even UK stores are refusing to sell Russian Vodka, football clubs are cutting out the Russian oligarchs meaning they losing their income, F1 has not only cancelled this years race in Sochi (where one of Putins palaces is) but they have cancelled the contract to stage any F1 races in the future. World class athletes from Ukraine are returning to Ukraine to fight for their fellowman's freedom. On BSF there are those who think the speedway world should just carry on. What we don’t know is the feeling of fellow riders, what stance do they take, is there a chance that the conflict will be carried over to the track? Certainly in the Polish league there could be rider problems as there are riders from Ukraine, Latvia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, the eastern part of Germany, Finland, Sweden, probably more, who well remember how Russia has treated their countries.

Simply because they're Russian. Some will see it unjust but all Russian athletes should not be allowed to compete internationally. Many other sports are sanctioning Russian athlete's, why on earth should Speedway be different?? Ukrainian's are being illegally killed by a Russian invasion. If Russian people really didn't agree with the war here's something to think about, their armed forces can refuse to drop bombs, fire rockets, shoot their guns but no, they continue at great speed. Sanctions have to be implemented & being Russian is just that imo, regardless of who they are.

tenuous but thanks for the info. is that an official FIM event. Or is it akin to Jan Graversen claiming to be a Danish international because he once round for a team called the Vikings? Sounds like the PZM have been quite specific in their requirements to allow him to continue, a bit like the BSPL shoe horning Josh Bates into the Rising Star criteria. My understanding is that there is, understandably, quite an anti Russian atmosphere in Poland atm. Plus those Polish speedway fans can be quite vociferous so it might be for the best if all those Russian national riders are excluded while the conflict continues. Best for all concerned IMO.

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.

And if they do denounce the invasion, what then? Novichok and polonium for tea. Many have condemned them as cowards for not speaking out against the war, but it carries with it real dangers.

Or just extra practice arranged at short notice so not just matches

Both of them live in Bydgoszcz in Poland and have Polish citizenship.

The working enviroment for most of us has changed so much, Where I was working when I used to go all over to watch Speedway there were 12 to 15 blokes on the floor so if I wanted to shoot off early to a speedway track there was cover as long as I stepped in when they wanted to get away early, Now there are only 4 blokes & 2 of them are drivers so the cover is not there. Then there is the cost of fuel now at record prices. But the biggest issue is plain & simple the timing & the VFM I used to go & expect to see the first race at 7:30 with the parade 15 minutes earlier then there would be a whole meeting 13/15 races, To the bar for a pint & a chat & watch 6/8 second half races & I could leave happy at 9:30 latest. For speedway to save it's self & encourage people like Steve Roberts back as regulars it needs to be run in a manner that gives the paying public any chance to believe they are getting VFM

Former Berwick rider Alistair Brady has died. Condolences to all family and friends. https://www.edinburghmonarchs.co.uk/news-centre/article/2022-03-06/alistair-brady-is-a-sad-loss?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

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...