COVENTRY can confirm they requested clarification from the BSPA and SCB regarding the Poole line-up for the second leg of their Elite League play-off semi-final on Monday.
The scores are level at 45-45 after Fridays thriller at Brandon, meaning the clash at Wimborne Road will be a winner-takes-all encounter.
The Pirates have announced a change for the second leg with Dakota North, who failed to score at Coventry, being ruled out on compassionate grounds.
Norths father has been seriously injured in an industrial accident in Australia, and Poole have been granted a facility to replace him with Edward Kennett.
North has reportedly been advised to take a week off, which would theoretically make him available for the Final should Poole qualify, with a potential trip to Belle Vue or Swindon coming next Monday.
Bees queried that facility on the basis that it did not appear to be covered by the provisions of regulation 16.5.1 concerning absent riders, but have now been informed a medical certificate is in place.
Coventry promoter Mick Horton said: First and foremost I want to stress that we as a club have great sympathy for Dakota North.
Its awful news for him with his father seriously injured on the other side of the world, and our thoughts go out to him and his family.
But Im very disillusioned with the situation. The accident happened before Friday yet Dakota rode in the first leg, scoring zero, and then our manager Gary Havelock was informed on Saturday night that the change was being made.
We registered an appeal over the Poole team line-up on Sunday morning given their statement that Dakota had been ruled out on compassionate grounds, but we are now told they have a medical certificate for him.
I do have to question whether this would have happened had Dakota scored ten points on Friday. I doubt he would then have been missing on Monday.
When I heard about it I expected to then find out he would be on the plane home to Australia, which I would be telling my rider to do in that situation regardless of the cost, but I see instead he was on the golf course on Sunday with Davey Watt.
Its clear that on current form Edward Kennett is likely to score more than Dakota North around Poole, everyone can see the reaction to this situation on social media and on the forums, and where does it end? This is not just a Coventry issue, its speedway fans in general who cannot understand why this is happening.
We will go to Poole and we will do our very best of course, but I can only apologise to the Coventry fans. I want to stress we have strongly raised the issue, and I would not blame them one bit if they choose not to go - because thats how I feel myself.
Bees have elected to operate the rider-replacement facility for the injured Joonas Kylmakorpi at Wimborne Road.
With guest Freddie Lindgren scoring just three points from the tough No.5 position in the first leg, Bees will now share Kylmakorpis rides amongst the rest of the team and look for big nights from their senior riders, all of whom have ridden well at Poole in the past.
But another major blow to their prospects is the absence of Jason Garrity at reserve, whose ankle is badly swollen following his crash on Friday, so much so that he was unable to have X-rays on Saturday. Garritys Sheffield team-mate Josh Bates will come in as his replacement.
Horton concluded: The boys will still give it their all, and going into this meeting now as big underdogs will spur them on. Bees pride!
