Oh what tangled webs we weave when first we
practice to deceive
Sir Walter Scott Mamion 1808
St Luke chapter 15 tells the parable of the prodigal son but of course British speedway can go one better in 2009 and have 2 prodigal sons returning from the wilderness of the GP to the Elite League fold messrs Andersen and Nicholls which in turn has exposed the worse side of the sport.
The internet forums, track web sites and terraces have been full of stories of questionable doctor notes, riders not scoring due to team manager’s instructions and general manipulation of the rules. Whilst the accused have all said nowt to do with us, promise to swear on the Bible or the lives of their children that they are innocent and like Caesars wife above suspicion.
The problem would appear that in the Elite League the early season team point limit of 39.9 could be increased to 42 once a team has completed 12 meetings. To quote the official statement by the Coventry promoter Avtar Sandhu issued on the ACU web site, www.acu,org.uk, at 4.44pm on June 4 “We hope that if some good can come out of this episode, it is that speedway is run according to regulations which are put in black and white at the start of the season and are not ‘unofficially’ added to without everyone’s knowledge”
I agree with Avtar’s statement but it all depends what regulations you are referring to. The only versions of the speedway regulations which are in the public domain and so what the speedway public have access to are on the internet at www.acu.org.uk or the printed version available at certain track shops. The only different between these two versions is that the printed version has a Supplementary Regulation 2009/1 dated 2 March, ie before the start of the season, where the new rule regarding Tactical Gate Switch applicable in the PL KO cup meeting is fully explained i.e. can only use it two times per meeting and you can take any two gate positions. The only rule in either version dealing with the point limit for teams in the EL is rule 17.4.5 which states that “ A team’s declaration must not exceed 39.9 points nor when re-declared (permanent or temporary) except that a team may exceed this limit if the CMA of the introduced rider is equal to or lower than the rider replaced. A speedway regulation may be issued regarding the maximum points limit that will apply when a team is subject to the new 2009 CMA (calculated match average).”
So the important word is “may”. Was a speedway regulation, I assume Supplementary Regulation 2009/2 issued between 2 March, when the Supplementary Regulation 2009/1 was issued, and when the whole Andersen/Nicholls affair kicked off. If so what is the wording of the regulation and why haven’t the version of the regulations on the ACU web site been updated to include both these revisions surely someone at the ACU/BSPA/SCB offices in Wood Street Rugby know how to do this or someone who does or do the powers that be not want fans to know the regulations. Back in 1997 I wrote to the then manager of the SCB, Mr David Hughes, asking if it would be possible for him to inform the speedway press of any rule changes which occurred during the season and he replied that “the regulations change with an unnerving frequency and we are remiss in not informing others who are not officials of changes. There is an unwritten rule that amendments are not published in any of the Speedway magazines.” I decided to email the SCB to see if after 12 years the unwritten rule was still in force and if that was why the internet regulations had not be updated . Graham Reeve, the SCB consultant administrator, replied that “I will made the necessary arrangement for the ACU web site to include such amendments from the 2010 season” So in 2010 it will be in the public domain what the “current” regulations are but maybe there will be no amendments to the regulations because the powers that be get it right first time.
If a
regulation was issued the question must be asked why? Surely someone at
Following the Andersen/Nicholls affair various promoters and the Speedway Star are calling for the establishment of an independent body/adjudicator to bring in transparency and trust to how decisions are made rather than the present situation where the BSPA management committee decide all decisions during the season. This role was formerly undertaken by the Speedway Control Board until 2003 when its title changed to the Speedway Control Bureau and that years rulebook stated “the SCB delegate the day to day organisation of speedway to the BSPA” For further details of the various organisations who having a say in how speedway is run in Britain see my article “Who runs British Speedway” in issue 21 of The Voice Summer 2006.
We will have to wait and see if anything comes of the talk about having an independent governing body/adjudicator but maybe the last word should be left with the former rider Eric Boocock who in the Yorkshire Post on 17 August 2005 “I was flattered to read my name put forward in the Speedway Star as a nominee for a proposed role as “independent supremo” for a new authority for the sport I’m not sure anything that radical will happen in my lifetime but it would be something I am completely in favour with – the role, not necessarily me being in it.
Essentially,
it is the way forward but, realistically the power is with the promoters who
put their money into the sport and I cannot see them giving way.
Promoters have too much to lose in the short term to think about what might be better for the sport in the long term. When times are hard and money tight no sane man is going to be philanthropic and put the general interest of sport ahead of his own need to provide a winning team to keep his fans happy and himself solvent.
But if promoters had the chance to appoint an ‘outside’ and stick with his decisions for a couple of years or so, even when things might at first appear to be getting worse. I’m sure everyone would be happy in the end and the sport would be much better for it”
S. Bear