PHILIPRISING

Wouldn't argue with those three ... all new faces full time in the series

From Paul Bellamy: "First I've heard about it."

HAD a text from Emil's manager after his Euro win yesterday and sadly no change of heart re SGP for 2015 BELIEVE he has some 'off track' issues that have had a detrimental affect on his SGP performances but you know what they say about class being permanent.

HAVEN'T heard that but no doubt it will be a topic of conversation this coming weekend now that you have brought into the open. Agree with your comments about the Friends Arena. Fantastic stadium but is it a deliberate policy to almost ban cars from the area? Not sure what the crowd will be come next Saturday but current crop of Swedish riders aren't bestowed with huge box office appeal although Andreas Jonsson's win in Vojens might have sparked some additional interest. Polish fans, for all sorts of reasons, don't travel in the numbers that they did, probably in part because they like most of us find cities like Stockholm very expensive.

TWADDLE...

THANKS for those kind comments...

WE'VE missed your concise and considered opinion Andy ... Have tried to get an answer from the FIM as to whether Ward will be dealt with by them or the World Doping body. No luck so far. Maybe Monday...

JUST checked with BSI ... is correct and will happen more than once in 2015

AGREE there are too many All Area passes issued but only AA passes supplemented by a special wristband provide Pit access after 18.30. Still quite a lot of those in addition to riders ... TV crews, BSI and FIM officials, some stadium workers who operate in that area, medical staff, etc. Media (reporters and photographers) allowed in pits until 18.00. Small number (usually six) photographers also have AA passes and are allowed in the pits throughout the event.

MANY riders have three mechanics and quite often a manager as is the case with Nicki P and Matej Zagar for instance. They are part of a team and surely there is nothing wrong with that?

AND Aussies...

ALL GP riders get four pit passes in addition to their own. Nicki's physio actually spends quite a lot of time working on him during a meeting, especially of late when he has still been suffering from his recent dislocated shoulders.

ALREADY suggested that... several times!

SPOT on...

I WOULD venture an educated guess that it was in the original copy but was subbed out to fit the available space ...

WHICH he did in his own pit bay ...

YES...

IMAGINE they are talking about wedding receptions but you never know. Stranger things have happened...

DRUNK is a very emotive word in this context. The Ward I saw in Daugavpils wasn't drunk.

I DON"T see everything as black and white but agree those handing out the punishment, should it come to that, might not.

CALENDAR due out mid-October after Torun. Would Emil being European or World Champion make any difference in his own country? I doubt it. His own federation don't seem to give a damn!

I WASN'T criticising Eurosport's coverage from Togliatti ... simply pointing that Russian TV stations have no interest in speedway. Three of the 2015 venues (when confirmed) haven't staged speedway before... one has. ARE you referring to Eurosport or Sky? However, you are pretty inaccurate on both counts. Incidentally, the SGP highlights show being screened on Quest is attracting audiences in excess of 100,000. That may not seem a lot but in relative terms it is.

WELL, there wasn't 20,000 in Auckland and having a GP on the other side of the world incurs huge additional expense including five return air tickets for each rider, hotel accommodation (three rooms per rider) for five nights, freight for two bikes plus a vast range of additional equipment. There is no appetite for TV coverage in Russia and no real commercial gain for BSI going there. And right now, with sanctions being imposed on Russia, any chance of a change of heart has gone out of the window.

PERSONALLY ... yes and yes. But for how long, that is the real question. Had the FIM acted swiftly after his failed test, promptly issuing a six months ban, Ward would most likely have accepted that, the dust would have settled fairly quickly and we could be moving on. Now we have to wait until a hearing is arranged, Darcy and his barrister present their argument, and the powers-that-be come to their conclusion. I realise there are many, including some who post vociferously on the bsf, who would like to see Ward hung, drawn and quartered. But there are many others, including myself, who would go down a different route, but with the caveat that all riders undertake alcohol tests at all SGP and SWC events. I don't see riders drunk or under the influence of alcohol turning up at SGP and SWC meetings. Although tests have been random, how many riders have failed over the past 10 years? Just one... The Poole and Ward haters will never be appeased but, and again this is nothing other than a personal view, I see no gain in throwing Ward out for a period of two years. Okay, let the flak begin...

DON'T forget that the Amsterdam World Final was a two-day affair ... not one of Jos Vaessen's better ideas! NO GP in Auckland next year although promoter Bill Buckley hasn't locked the door for the future and a different venue to Western Springs is being considered further down the line. My guess is that four venues which weren't on the calendar this year will be in 2015.