pandorum

That's the 2nd time you have told us that Phil but will the Star highlight the essential flaw with the competition in some kind of comment on this years farcical situation. If the top men can't make the SWC pay something is inherently wrong.

It amuses me when people say such things. It seems fine when a Polish or Swedish team don't bother paying the rider the money they promised but the rider is mercenary when he does anything about it Emil was in the wrong without doubt re Sweden as he was dropped due to being awful in the previous few meetings and deserved that fate. But then plenty of riders and plenty of teams do things that are undesirable so I cut him some slack. His manager acted a bit like a idiot but he is not alone in that in the speedway world. Your Danish boys are in with a good chance this year and must be favourites along with Poland. Sadly we are lacking any great competition this year due to injuries, the Czechs in the final and rubbish. No matter who is to blame something needs to be done or the SWC will wither and die which considering it has been one of the most exciting weeks of speedway this last few years would be a disaster for the sport.

Looks like the Russians will go from 'certs to have a say in the destination of the trophy' to 'being lucky if they get through to the qualifier'. The Latvians all have plenty of Polish league experience and Bogdanovs rode in the top league. I fancy it will be Poland, Oz and Latvia with Russia a battling 4th. Shame as the competition needs sorting out. Something has to be done to prevent this nonsense happening anymore. Russia could have won this because only a fool believes the crap from the Sayfutdinov camp about Emil needing a rest. He has taken advantage of the situation to not look as bad as the Laguta's. He would have ridden if not for this spat with whoeverthhell is reponsible for the Russian team. Hell we have problems with our riders due to lack of support Scott Nicholls and Lee Richardson tried to highlight this but nobody seems to want to address it. The SGP site has not mentioned it and I wonder whether the commentators will bring it up. Speedway is a complete farce really at pretty much every level No wonder nobody outside the sport takes it seriously.

A very good point. OK if Ritchie did not want to leave the Diamonds it did not stop him trying to get a berth in Sweden or Denmark. Lack of ambition is endemic in the so called upandcoming UK riders. Except for that kid who rides in Germany (I apologise but his name escapes me at the moment). Foreign riders come here in droves so why is it to much to expect that some of our top prospects make an effort to go there

But the coverage has been exactly the same as SKY except for Eurosports know nothing idiot anchor man. The only difference has been the loss of the panel of speedway riders. Eurosport have done absolutely nothing concerning the coverage. Russian skipper Grigory Laguta goes into the Czestochowa round in sparkling form after accruing a huge 18 paid 19 from seven races for the Eskilstuna outfit. Still talking as if the Russians were turning up on the SGP site.

It was a rhetorical question The main point being that the riders have a right to withold their services and are not traitors to their country. They risk their lives for a living and have a right to come out with some reward at the end of it all.

Does it matter WHO they are representing. The fact remains that they deserve to not incur a whole lot of expense while they are doing it. Surely they have a right to expect that they come out in the plus column after riding for their country. None of you sure as hell would not risk your life for nothing so why should they.

Echo Phil completely! It's the same in the UK when riders refused to ride for Team GB. How can it be treason if they fight to get better conditions not only for themselves but those that follow them. Russia has a golden opportunity to win the SWC but needs to take the competition seriously and fund it's riders. The England football team don't pay for their own expenses and they could not win a tournement if they were the only team in it I doubt Riders earn as much as you say because of the expense of the sport at the top level so Emil and Co are hardly millionaires like our worthless footballers. They have put up with the Russian Federations incompetence before and have decided to say 'enough'. That is a principled stand rather than treachery. We in the UK would not have the freedoms we enjoy today if people had not stood up and been counted. Were they traitors? Rights are fought for never given and speedway riders have the right to expect that when they represent their country their governing body should show more than a mild interest.

Have to agree with Alan and also point out that both TV matches had a great atmosphere with both sets of supporters making themselves heard throughout the match. Here on UK TV meetings the few fans there hardly ever make any noise worth the meaning of the word so anyone watching would not feel any great urge to go along and join in with their local supporters. Polish fans are enthusiastic about the sport. Our lot mostly look bored. The Polish and Swedish matches on TV promote the sport. Here they probably put people off. I can remember seeing such enthusiastic crowds but then I am an old man and the sport needs young people. Standing in a decrepit stadium waiting endlessly for riders to get themselves out and take part in a heat with equally endless dealays and poor to non existent presentation and zero entertainment during the breaks is hardly going to interest that many people. The Russian Togliatti model is one to learn from. They entertain the crowd during the breaks with all manner of insane and inventive ideas from blokes bending steel bars with their heads to sexy women dressed as toy soldiers to ninja free for alls on the centre green. Cheap cheerful and hugely entertaining. Where our speedway is two hours of drudgery interspersed with maybe the odd couple of actual speedway races

Sounds great in principle but does not really stop speedways showcase competition collapsing into a farce.

Exactly it's insane. I don't blame the lads. The millionaires that play football for England don't work for free or have to pay for their hotel so why should the riders. Someone must make a profit out of this week of speedway so why should those that make it a great event have to beg for scraps to make ends meet

What an entertaining meeting. Great team performance by Czestochowa Two great meetings. Enjoyed them both

What a hell of a race

Russia in tatters by all accounts due to their version of the BSPA. The SWC needs to sort this out as a country who could have won the competition practically pull out because of money matters. We had/have the same problem and it makes speedways best competition look really Mickey Mouse. Not that the idea that the Czechs will be 4th in the world helps it particularly giving them a seeding they don't deserve .

Szombierski was awesome TWICE

So was that.

That was a surprise

I am a big bowls fan myself. David Bryant could do magic in and around the jack

So does that mean he is not Scottish anymore and actually British?

Good match mate. If you are not a Rzeszow fan. Artem to get a max?

Who could have imagined there could be a stupider bunch of people than the BSPA. They could have won it at one stage now it's all dissapeared in a haze of b#llsh#t Are Tarnow doing a Belle Vue cos they are scared of Rzeszow

Pedersen gained from his jump at the start as he was nowhere first time round. Damn good crowd.

If this was the least of speedway's worries then things would be looking quite upbeat if and when SKY dump the sport. Sadly it's not and the sport is in a mess that perhaps it will not be able to drag itself out of. 2014 will be possibly a season of huge consequences for the sport in this country. Luckily we have a body of promoters who are on the ball and together who will sort out the sport and drag it into the 20th century. Oh wait a minute that's something I just dreamt. Actually they are a bunch of idiots who would sacrifice half the league to get one over on a rival they hate. The sport is f###ed

Good luck to the Reds as they have been robbed of a golden chance to win the whole bloody trophy And also lets hope Latvia give a good showing and highlight the ridiculous ruling that the SWC have introduced that allows a team like the Czechs to stink out the final

Exactly mate! I have never seen as entertaining a speedway meeting as those I have watched at Togliatti. Regardless of the racing the atmosphere is great and the intervals crammed with insane and inventive entertainment. Our speedway is two hours of drudgery compared to this lot.