Grand Central

Full judgement here http://www.fim-live.com/en/library/download/53973/download/Library/no_cache/1/ A very interesting read. It confirms much of what we had thought all along. That Darcy had no complaints at all about the process in Latvia at the time. He knew full well that he had too much to drink the night before, and despite being surprised that he failed the tests the following day, he never really thought that anything was amiss with the procedure. That is why he openly admitted to his drinking. All the nonsense about testing procedures came up later when his lawyers tried to use every loophole possible to 'get him off', despite the guy being fully aware of his own guilt in the fact of the matter. And it was the Ward side (once the lawyers came in) questioning of everything - no matter how irrelevant - along the way that caused all the delays. The judgements and procedures of the FIM seem to be of a quite exemplary standard and have afforded Ward true Justice. In addition the sentence passed was equally fastidiously considered and even the matter of expunging results is clearly right and proper. I do hope that those so willing to take the FIM to task will offer their apologies. Thankfully something in World Speedway seems to deserve our real respect. At last. Thank you for your excellent work Mr Nilsson. .

Surely, they don't come out of that money either. I imagine it is the local promoters who foot the bill for their stay.

Great news that it has been improved. It is just a little sad, about the (mis) information that emanates from SGP-land. You have been passing the information you were getting from the organisers. That this was, for various reasons, just not possible. It's seems one thing for the PR machine to screw up damage limitation. Quite another for them to screw up positive news equally badly.

Yes it always makes me smile when Philip does his rewrite of history. Again and again. Going back in his time capsule. I just wonder where BSI would have staged the 1997 British GP, for instance. Or how 'John P the Great' would have found better venues in the 1990s in other countries? Even today they cannot do better than the Marketa in Prague, simply because there isn't an alternative built yet. Well it was the same everywhere else back then.

Two effs ! That just shows that with the help of modern pharmaceuticals the porn stars of today can out 'perform' the boys of the past.

I think someone rather mockingly said that he looked as if he COULD have been a seventies porn star. Just the hair and moustache were the giveaway signs. Surely the Private Shops in Byker or Boldon used to stock that 'sort' of Mag. Back in the day.

What an awful thread. How strange for someone to start a thread that seems be just about making themselves look horrid, to the widest audience possible.

'Didn't bother to turn up' is nothing like the story. Berwick were well aware that the Aces were not coming that night. That was during the time when Berwick were becoming renowned for issuing rather rubberised cheques. If any at all. Home riders, including Kelvin Tatum, were none too happy and John Perrin was having none of it. This would be a very good one for Tony Mac to get his teeth into. This was the British Nordic Final in 1973. Another good one to go back to, but I think Eric covered it pretty well in the Retro Book 'Booey'

Speedway Star have clearly taken the most diplomatic of routes. A minimal, almost non-existent, preview of Tampere in this weeks Star. Always best to avoid talking about the foul smell when in company. You can never be sure who has the dog-mess on their shoe. EDIT. The Warsaw jinx strikes again. Just noticed that the cover claims that the mag contains a preview of the POLISH GP ROUND 2 ! I would have thought it was bad enough first time around ! Let's hope this is not an Omen for Tampere.

Now, now Tony. You really are being a little naughty, aren't you.? Asking for recollections of the five bullet points you mention spread over a TWENTY YEAR time frame. When ALL five occurred on April 18th simultaneously. Slap on the wrist!

The Pairs is a tournament that would be best revived in the old format of qualifying rounds and a single one off final. Perhaps just over a single week, alternating with the SWC every two years. One of my favourite meetings of all time was the 1977 World Pairs Final at Hyde Road. Wonderful night.

Sod the roof. How is the Starting Gate, The Two Minutes Clock, the referee's paranoia, Graham Brodie's Walkie Talkie, the track, Paul Bellamy's excuse-bank? And most importantly Nicki Pedersen's demeanor? P!ss wet shale is fine. It's the rest of the show, and it's potential for disaster, that will kill us. .

This really is fascinating f-s-p. And I genuinely hope you are right. That the Ratina track will be some sort of Soumi mash-up of of Hyde Road and Owlerton. After Warsaw, the huddled masses of SGP followers could do with something to lift our spirits. But I am intrigued by your (reverse) conspiracy theory From the race times you seem to have unearthed a fiendish plot that proves that the track shape is quite altered and much improved. And yet the promoters have told everyone that will listen, including the Speedway Star, that they could not do that and have not done that. Is this some unique form of Finnish public relations? .

.Er, Warsaw? Possibly. And the role played in the abandonment by those receiving payouts. In the face of paying customers who have received not a single penny of recompense. Possibly.. Cynical action on April 18, with more cyclical actions and words subsequently, demand cynical comments. It is the least we can do, in the circumstances, .

As PR moves go this is yet another corker for a company who - for some - can do no wrong. Are Ed Milliband's team now working for BSI? Can we expect their next public statement to chiseled in to a massive tablet of stone?

.No nothing sinister at all. And that is how it will be seen by all right minded people. Including those who travelled to Warsaw expecting to see the riders complete the meeting. They will be applauding this news loudly. .

What interesting timing for the 'brown envelopes' to be distributed. That should ensure that the Tampere track is regarded as having NO 'safety concerns' for the Jury to worry about. Whether the tapes work or not. I am sure Phil will be able to reassure us completely about the absolute probity of this payment. And to paraphrase Mandy Rice Davies "They would say that, wouldn't they?" .

Just for the purposes of balance. I do think the riders are to blame. We shall see in the developing future whether the resistance of others to that notion ends up solving problems. Or just creating bigger ones.

As Cilla would say'Surprise, surprise!' Sometimes it really does need an extensive enquiry. Across many countries, taking written and verbal evidence, and costing a pretty penny. Looked over by the finest minds in the land. Just to arrive at the patently, bloody obvious. Well done to all concerned. .

It did when Kirky Lane opened in 1988 and Odsal in 1986. Was there for both openers being rained off. Absolutely massive crowds turned away without seeing a race. And they didn't really come back in the same numbers later.

After suffering six weeks of 'spin' from politicians. Doesn't it all look a bit different a few days after the election. It now feels like we are in our own Speedway-time warp. Where the SGP/BSI spin is still applied to every single story. No matter how pointlessly.

.Oh for goodness sake. At least keep up with your own argument, even if you cannot follow others. It was YOU that first said you couldn't understand people who had a differing view than yourself. I was just sympathising with your - self confessed - inabilities.

aka Gelsenkirchen

Your inability to see some matters from another's perspective is unfortunate. And does not seem confined to this topic.

Indeed it is. But we still need to be reasonably confident of a full meeting being on Or the riders at least trying to get past Heat 12. After Warsaw. No one can offer me that guarantee, can they?