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100%... Litigation would be enormous if anything happened which COULD be attributed to someone who has just not passed a drugs or alcohol test.. The ref and the clubs complicit in letting him ride, could face prosecution, as could the governing body... Even the rider himself could sue if he got injured as "you let me ride"... You don't pass, you don't ride...

I understand the frustration about the testing procedure but what if the rider be allowed to participate in the meeting after providing a non-negative result & then is involved in a track crash with the other rider receiving injuries that mean he must miss a few events. How then would the insurers look at our procedure if we knowingly allow a test failure to race in the event. how would the 13 other riders feel about taking to the track with a possible drug user. i understand that as a paying spectator you expect the perfect event each time but what of the others involved within the sport that work hard to produce the product you come to watch. The rules may not be perfect but if we are call bound by the same rules then it must work.

The difference this time is that it was a reserve rider who returned the non-negative result. Last year (and the year before, when Ben Barker was snagged) it was riders in their team proper who had their licences temporarily suspended (rightly and properly, rules is rules) on the night, in which case the programmed races could be covered by the team's reserves. Eliminating the problem of a three-rider race, which seems to be the main factor in getting people's knickers twisted. So, if it happens again -- and it will, sure as God made little apples -- if it's a rider in the team's 1-5, no problem, no 3-man races. If it's a reserve, Heat 2 has to go with three riders -- hardly "cheating the public" and certainly a fair price to pay to keep the sport free of banned substances, no?

Just did a wee bit of maths, to test the entire team every meeting it would cost £78.40, in the super grand scheme of things that isn't a lot. To lab test a sample costs £120 (off Googley search £60 if done on mass) So simply charge every rider £5.60 a meeting to ensure a 100% clean sport. If you get a "non negative" result the rider forks out the £120/£60 to prove their clean or not. Don't ban the rider on the night but upon return of the lab test. Teams aren't affected, fans get a proper meeting.

For those who are only reading this thread and didn't attend the meeting, it hard to believe but there was an actual meeting with racing and with bikes on track. Crazy.

Anyone who thinks that, can simply stop reading the posts

Listening to Schlein on commentary it's easy to imagine how he talks himself out of riding when the track is anything other than perfect. He'll be trying to get this one called off from the commentary box!

Is it? I genuinely didn’t know that. I’m sure I’ve been seeing Dick Barrie‘s name in Speedway Stars and programmes since the 90s, but I’ve never actually saw him. Deadly. I hung around after the meeting for an autograph, a selfie and a calf massage.

Greg Blair is the young guy and everybody knows the Old Guy or he thinks they do.

We have explored every angle and evidence of the situation surrounding the test undertaking by Complin last Saturday. Maybe its time to leave to the powers that be to investigate and come to their conclusion whatever that may be.

And it was a very good meeting

By law, employers can be held vicariously liable for certain acts of their employees. This means even where the employer has itself done no wrong, it can still be found responsible for employees actions and made to financially compensate the victim/victims of the wrong doing.

on anything that comes from the BBC.

It's alright, Fricke will be at reserve soon and then watch us go!

Thanks for confirming my post. If you had left it after your first two lines it would have been a decent post. The last line was hypocritical and stupidest - more stupid. You totally contradicted yourself. Not so brilliant. Have a great evening.

Bar a couple of riders it doesn’t look like they are remotely up for it.

It’s already wet and slippery.

Heat 10 is brought to you by “Paul’s Sauna Club”, only because there isn’t a Heat 69.

Looking forward to this tonight. Heatings on, so the missus should be asleep in no time, leaving me with the a bliss evening of speedway and chocolate.

Rather Rowe than a foreign journeyman. Rowe might feel he has a point to prove and give his all rather than just 6-7 pointer going through the motions. And Poole fans will welcome him back.

If all 14 riders were checked before every meeting, there would definitely be a shortage of riders after a few matches.

More conspiracy that’s got to be up there as one of the stupidest posts. Brilliant.

Don't commit a tapes offence or fail to beat the two minutes then.

Non negative or failed drug test both the same, so banned from meeting, IF its down to medication would show up on 2nd test, then the people in charge can decide what happens next, why we have 15 pages of debate god only knows,

18 pages and probably around 2 pages is actually about the meeting. I know it is a huge debating point but surely it’s been done to death now , let’s see what happens now and get the facts. I notice Lees wife has posted on FB about what he had taken.

Agree there completely, crazy to let a rider compete not having passed the test. I know its not great for fans to go to a meeting expecting teams as advertised only to find out you are a rider down but I cant see any other acceptable way.

The bottom line is,the tests at the start of the meeting are great and im sure everyone welcomes randam testing,there a few posters on here that get what im trying to say.PRE MATCH testing is quite new,and we are going to have the same problems again when the next rider fails a test.All im trying to explain and maybe not too well,is that this is a new practice,and sooner or later its going to happen again.100% punish the rider,BUT NOT THE FANS.I havnt got the answer but the people who are carrrying out the tests,must have thought this through and come up with a solution surely. ie GREAT TESTING RIDER OR RIDERS FOUND GUILTY AND BANNED TO RIDE ON THE NIGHT PLAN B PUT INTO OPERATION FOR THE TEAM WITH BANNED RIDER OR RIDERS SO THE MEETING CAN TAKE PLACE WITH 4 RIDER RACES.THAT PLAN B AT THE MOMENT IS ...........................?!!!!!!!

is Benzoylecgonine not what they class as the breakdown product its whats left after you take cocaine it does not make its own cocaine in the body your liver disolves the cocaine and produces Benzoylecgonine from the cocaine cocaine if used now and then cant be traced after a few hours but the Benzoylecgonine stays for days after use do a little research

But what is the point in granting a facility to get a guest rider, when the test takes place 1 hour or less before start time. Who is going to turn up? Ask any team manager, they struggle to get guests with 3 days notice let alone 30 mins Glasgow could have named a number 8, but if they don’t have one there they can’t. This is also intended as a team punishment for that fixture too, with any subsequent penalties on the individual concerned rather than team league points for example.

Quite agree. Archie refused to ride at reserve knowing his gating was crap at that time, and would not score points. He was presurised by Rob to ride but it didn't help his confidence. He was guaranteed points payment but it did more harm than good for his progress. The following year he was signed by the Belle Vue Colts at reserve along with Freddie Holder, and he then made good progress usually being the highest average. Great pairing Archie and Freddie.

Lions had three race winners and just one heat advantage. Fricke was a massive disappointment on a track he should know very well and he is starting this season like he did last year. Fed up with hearing about conditions and set ups from commentary teams, just get on with it! As many have predicted, Lion’s undoing could be the strength of their reserves. On a positive note I thought the BSN coverage was very good (first time I’ve watched) and I actually enjoyed the ‘laid back likeable northerner’ in Paul Bowen. Couldn’t get Dickson to crack a smile though could he ?

Saw they were 12/1 outsiders in the League betting. Only Brum were lower. Bookies don't get it wrong too often!.

The weather didn’t help but you can see the difference in attitude between the home riders and the Lions.

Will there be a happy ending to this meeting?

I think it’s a good point that Wolves usually visited on bank holiday, so the likes of Masters, Becker and Douglas won’t of visited much in recent years except Monday lunchtime - which the track will be far different to that tonight

Dick Barrie

we got bsn halfway through last season, and was able to watch all previous meetings , got the full package this year, but will still be making my way down to Bellevue tonight. you cant beat live speedway.

Why is it "crazy"? It's a (pretty large) part of what went on on Saturday night. It's a bit like, if the BSF was thing then, going back to the 90's, talking about the Berwick vs Belle Vue meeting (the one where the Aces failed to show up at Berrington Lough) and just saying that Berwick tracked 2 riders and rode around until they couldn't be caught scorewise! You can't just ignore it.

Interesting that there are no similar restrictions around the third and fourth bend, where flying stones are surely more likely than the home straight. Nor the narrow passageway that used to exist immediately in front of the now demolished Tote Board.

Yes, you can pause, no problem. Very good coverage as well.

Glasgow do much the same in front of the grandstand. Don't know why.

OK you just dont get it. Its gonna happen to you what with tech advances,so you turn up at a race meeting and find out 2 riders this time are banned from the meeting,and the team is using R/R. yes i KNOW its the worst case scenario,but i want you to understand not only the meeting will be a shambles,fans will not be happy,and they are the ones paying for it.If you are bringing in tests BEFORE the meeting there has to be a plan B for the fans.

Plymouth allow fans to cross pits access/exit to get to their grandstand in between races, there's stewards there to stop people until bikes leave track/once the two minutes come on.

Haven't posted this year and thought I'd start with a positive. With only a few weeks into the season I have purchased two Birmingham's an Oxford a Berwick and a Peter Craven memorial along with the BSN season pass that Santa got me and I have to say the quality has been outstanding. The commentary and camera work have been fantastic, Rory is an excellent addition to the BSN crew. From a few years back when you were paying "bob" 12 quid for an iPhone stream and shocking audio it has improved ten fold, long may it continue as long as my bank balance can afford it I'll be getting as many as I can. Additionally it saves me from watching the regular weekly crap of love island, celebrity jungle crap and married at first sight.

How do you replace a rider who failed a test an hour before a meeting?? Where are you getting these riders from??

My understanding is that whilst the tracks have installed the equipment, there remains a technical difficulty whereby the individual transponders fitted to bikes are not yet able to fully communicate with the recording hub. Similarly the automated tape release system that was supposed to be introduced this year is not yet operational. A reliable source indicated that, rather than invest in the tried and tested GP system, the BSPL bought a cheaper alternative that has proved unreliable and negotiations between both parties to find a solution are ongoing.

His gating was poor v the higher level rider when I watched him... However, whilst behind, his speed was very much on a par with the higher standard in front of him and, only very rarely did he get cut adrift from the rider in third, and often, by the end of the race, would have closed down the distance he had given away before bend 3 on the first lap.. When in front, he had some real speed and control of the bike at that speed..

Would you care to list and provide details of these "several occasions" you refer to? My memory isn't as good as it used to be. That aside, all the very best to young Max. A rider who I first saw pootling around Owlerton as Sheffield mascot and whose scores I followed from a very early stage of his career, even more so after discovering he was a Wayne Carter protégé. One of the few riders who can say they've won a race with a broken leg! Was absolutely delighted when he signed for the Monarchs in 2015. One of the most entertaining riders to watch at sunny Armadale. There were quite a few meetings when he achieved more successful passing manoeuvres than the rest of the riders put together. Mundane fixtures could be brought to life when Max was on track. Granted, he could also be quite frustrating to watch at times. While there was no doubting his talents, his generally poor gating did appear to hinder his scoring, especially on away tracks. However, I always defended him when others seemed intent on criticism. An excellent servant to the clubs he rode for throughout his career. Pleased he collected so many medals, team and individual, and I hope he has lots of happy memories to look back on from his time in the sport. Good luck Max

The season preview speedway star, has always been my favourite. But I miss they days when promoters (later fans) would give their predictions of the finishing order. Don't know why they stopped that? Too many people not willing to join in? What's the harm of you get it wrong, it's supposed to be a bit of fun.

More to do with no floodlights i reckon.