IainB

Or BSPA/SCB? There's a lot of foreign riders at Worky... and even their Brit sounds a bit foreign 😂

Speedway riders, like other professional athletes coming to the UK, primarily obtain their visas through the International Sportsperson visa route (formerly Tier 2 Sportsperson visa). There's also the Temporary Worker - Creative and Sporting visa (Tier 5) for shorter stays, though the International Sportsperson visa is more common for full season engagements. Here's a breakdown of the process: 1. Sponsorship and Endorsement are Key: * Sponsor Licence: The speedway club or organisation employing the rider must hold a valid "sponsor licence" issued by the Home Office. This licence allows them to sponsor overseas workers. * Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS): Once a rider is offered a position, the sponsoring club assigns them a unique electronic Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). This CoS contains details about the job, salary, and the rider's personal information. It's a crucial piece of the visa application. * Governing Body Endorsement: This is a critical requirement. The rider's application must be endorsed by the relevant UK sports governing body for speedway. This endorsement confirms that: * The rider is an elite sportsperson or qualified coach. * They are internationally established. * Their employment will significantly contribute to the development of speedway at the highest level in the UK. 2. Eligibility Requirements for the Rider: * Age: Must be 16 years or older. * Job Offer: A genuine job offer from an approved sponsor (the speedway club). * English Language: For stays longer than 12 months, riders usually need to prove their English language proficiency (e.g., by passing an approved test or demonstrating they are from an English-speaking country). * Financial Maintenance: The rider must demonstrate they have sufficient funds to support themselves in the UK (currently £1,270 in their bank account for at least 28 consecutive days). Alternatively, their sponsor can certify they will cover the rider's costs. * Tuberculosis (TB) Test: If the rider is from a country where TB testing is required, they will need to provide a certificate. * Travel History: Provide travel history for the last 5 years. * Valid Passport: A valid passport with at least one blank page for the visa. 3. Application Process: * Online Application: Riders apply for the visa online through the UK government's official website. * Document Submission: They will need to submit all required documents, including: * Valid passport. * Certificate of Sponsorship reference number. * Endorsement letter from the speedway governing body. * Proof of English language proficiency (if applicable). * Bank statements (or sponsor's certification of maintenance). * TB test results (if applicable). * Previous travel documents to show travel history. * Biometrics: Riders will need to provide their biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) at a visa application centre. * Fees: There are application fees and an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), which grants access to the UK's National Health Service (NHS). 4. Visa Duration and Extension: * The International Sportsperson visa can be issued for up to 3 years initially, or for the duration of employment plus 14 days, whichever is shorter. * It can be extended if the rider continues to meet the eligibility criteria. * After 5 years on this visa, riders may be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (settlement) in the UK, provided they meet further criteria (e.g., continuous residence, salary requirements, passing the "Life in the UK" test). Important Considerations for Speedway: * Governing Body: The relevant governing body for speedway in the UK (e.g., the Speedway Control Bureau - SCB, or British Speedway Promoters' Association - BSPA, working with relevant sporting bodies approved by the Home Office) will be crucial in endorsing riders. * Loan System Impact: There have been instances in the past where the Home Office scrutinised how speedway's loan system impacted visa compliance, leading to some challenges for clubs and riders. Clubs must ensure they comply with all sponsorship duties. * Brexit: Since Brexit, non-UK riders (including those from EU countries) now require a visa to ride professionally in the UK, which was not always the case previously. This has added a layer of complexity and cost to bringing in overseas talent. The process is rigorous and requires careful attention to detail from both the rider and the sponsoring club to ensure all requirements are met. Many clubs and riders often seek assistance from immigration lawyers due to the complexities involved.

Maybe he could do that covid season at Sheffield he never got to do 🤔

And the government topping peoples wages up for companies that won't pay a proper wage with universal credit... how on earth this country has got itself into such a mess is unbelievable! Tolley for PM 😂

I subscribe to the full BSN package yet still went to Sheffield last night and to the Lions vs Aces slaughter (that Brady Kurtz skipped, not skippered 😂 the other week)... As a (part time) Aces fan I think you've forgotten how good it feels to win away 😉 TNT/Eurosport/Sky meetings I've long since stopped attending, purely to how slowly they're run with massive breaks for the ads with no alternative content provided to fill the gaps... all they have to do is pipe the broadcast interviews etc. over the PA system as a bare minimum it would give those that have attended something to listen to.

But they were there, single handedly saving the sport in this country 😂

Don't forget the £266bn (and counting) student loan book... to pay for folk to go to uni to get a zero hour contract job in an Amazon warehouse, not quite sure who's going to pay that back 🤷‍♂️

Was a pretty decent crowd (relatively) at Sheffield tonight

Average UK salary £3,410 Average Polish salary £1,540 So you can double that £7... still good value though, shows how much we're paying over here to make up for the lack of numbers.

They weren't tempted out by returning Oxford hero Ben Barker then?

Ryan Guest on the centre green telling us it's gone down to a last heat decider... bless him 😂

Sean Bean, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Michael Palin, Arctic Monkeys, Joe Cocker, Def Leppard, Gordon Banks, Helen Sharman, Sebastian Coe, Harry Maguire, Harry Maguire... your boys took one helluva beating tonight 🦁

Sam Masters machinery has been on the blink for the last few meetings now, it was popping and banging on parade and why he even started that last race on it I'm not sure... unless we're just using this as a test session now 😁

They have all season to be fair... one area where TNT are infinitely better.

Why Kemp didn't stuff him after the race I do not know! Where's the passion and entertainment? 🤷‍♂️

I think you only have to look at the number of young riders from U21 Championships over the last 10 years or so who have turned away from the sport due to lack of opportunity, mainly due to doubling up. Next year, as it stands at the moment, we're down to 14 tracks. That's: 98 riders for 7 rider teams 84 riders for 6 rider teams 70 riders for 5 rider teams It's going to take adjustments to the race format to give riders a proper progression path instead of being dumped in the top league and allowed to sink or swim.

I can't think that speedway would collapse in this country if it was ridden with riders who are committed to it, if Ippo want to run Thursday night with riders that commit to that... and just as importantly away fixtures also, great! Difficult to see anything wrong with that.

He couldn't even get them out for the Billy Sanders Memorial Trophy, so there's no chance he'll get them out for a junior meeting!

I too have had the same thoughts about tonight, it looks to be a nice night weather wise and there's 2 full (ish) teams, so I'm going to force myself to go, especially as BSN don't interfere in the running of a meeting, if it were TNT there's absolutely no way I'd entertain going. I do drive so it is easier for me, although I won't be paying an extra £3 for the privilege of parking! Or £4 for a programme!

Clubs must be allowed to run on a night that suits them and at a level that suits them... Birmingham were always doomed due to the stadium issues but the last couple of seasons could and should have been so much better. If Speedway needs to run 4 or 5 rider teams due to rider availability then so be it, unfortunately we are at that stage now. 1 rider for 1 club and committed to that club home and away, if they can't commit then I'm afraid it's good-bye... it's time to make a choice for a lot of these riders.

I'd dare say you could go to the local shopping precinct in Ippo and ask 100 people if they'd heard of Jason Doyle and/or Emil Sayfutdinov and barely any of them would have... and the same probably goes for them having heard of Speedway... You may just get the reply "oh is that still going, I used to go" or "my dad used to go" but even they are an ever decreasing number.

2 things can be right at the same time... I agree with you that people should get out and support their clubs, but I also understand why "mikebk" won't go and watch what's on offer. I've said it before, so I'll say it again. What's on offer at the moment just doesn't cut it in the modern entertainment age, the overhaul that is needed is so big that what's left afterwards may not be recognisable as Speedway as we know it and a lot of the existing older fans may very well not like that. But if it's the price to pay to watch 4 riders on 500cc machines with no brakes go at it, it may very well have to be the price that's paid... it will of course never happen. I've pointed to what cricket have done with T20 & The Hundred, the "social misfits" (as Bob Willis called them) who turned up to watch the County Championship would be turning in their graves. Not my thing but I was watching a bit of the Tennis from Queens Club last week and even they had "disco" music playing during the change of ends... not TV Themes from the 70's like at Scunny 😂

SHEFFIELD: Jack Holder, Anders Rowe, Josh Pickering, Lewi Kerr, Chris Holder, Justin Sedgmen, Nathan Ablitt. LEICESTER: Max Fricke, Luke Becker R/R, Ryan Douglas, Kyle Howarth, Sam Masters, Drew Kemp, Joe Thompson. Leicester surely to progress to the final? A brand new, full racenight programme has been produced for the rearranged semi-final and will be available inside the stadium for just £4. Any supporters who still wish to complete their season’s collection and get their hands on a limited copy of the original issue will be able to do so by purchasing one from the Speedway Office. £25 entrance £4 for a prog £4 for the last prog £3 for parking £36 night out for a meeting that's on BSN... bargain!

Have you thought about just sticking some silver tape on the back for the "I"... thar'll do

I'll be the one at the front in my camper chair wearing my Leicester Lions jacket with "Happiness is 40-38" sew on badge attached!