PHILIPRISING

THE money is assured and in place. It would never have got this far through all the hoops set by the City authorities without being sure of that. AS and when ...

I'M no expert on MotoGP, etc, either but believe most entries are by teams, private or factory sponsored, and the riders are employed by them. It is the teams rather than the riders themselves who abide by the rules of the FIM.

THERE are a mile wide of the mark ... The dispute between the FIM and the SEC is on the back burner now anyway. Have already explained why actual tickets are late going on sale. And that it is BSI who are actually promoting the Bydgoszcz event. The date was originally ear-marked for a PZM promotion in Warsaw but that was put off for a year (looking quite likely now) and BSI felt Bydgoszcz was the ideal alternative. But, with the SWC race-off and final already scheduled for the Polonia Stadium, the club and the Mayor were sceptical about having a SGP as well which is why BSI effectively took over. My latest info is that the delay to ticket printing was about securing a media partner which has now been resolved and that they should be available very soon. Also, on speedwaygp.com, Emil's manager talks about getting his WORLD Championship challenge underway.

SAYING what exactly?

DON'T be ...

THE following will be included online in Speedway Star Xtra tomorrow and there will also be news of the FIM's compromise in Speedway Star ... WEEK ... COMMONSENSE prevails... the FIM now seem agreeable to a compromise over their proposed ban on those riders competing in the Speedway Grand Prix also racing in the Speedway European Championship. This is a conflict born out of an internal battle within the corridors of power at the FIM itself. The executive in Geneva were unhappy at the manner in which FIM Europe agreed a contract with the Polish company One Sport to promote the SEC under terms with which the hierarchy fundamentally disagreed. From that moment on the riders became mere pawns in an unseemly battle, which threatened to finish in the hands of lawyers and at great expense to all concerned. There are some at the FIM, but by no means all, who fail to appreciate that speedway and those who compete in it are in a very different category to many of the other disciplines that fall under their umbrella. Speedway riders, at whatever level, are essentially self-employed tradesmen and to deprive them of opportunities to supplement their income is, in the eyes of many, simply illegal. Nicki Pedersen, not surprisingly, was particularly vociferous in his condemnation of the FIM attempts to ban him and others from participating in both the SGP and the SEC. But it was Emil Sayfutdinov who came closest to actually saying that he would withdraw from the SGP, despite having signed a contract with the FIM, in favour of the SEC if push came to shove. The young Russian cited a lucrative sponsorship deal in his own country as the reason behind his choosing, if necessary, the SEC, which is shown on Eurosport in his home country while the SGP is not. Much as one can sympathise with him, it would still have been a crying shame had a rider blessed with the ability to reach the very top of his chosen profession denied himself that opportunity. Whatever the merits of the European Championship it is still a mere shadow of the real McCoy. Now, hopefully, he can mount a serious challenge on two fronts and, but for his untimely injury last season, he might well have won them both already. Another major flaw in the argument of the FIM was the fact that riders like Pedersen and Sayfutdinov had ridden in both championships in 2013. A precedent had been set and one that would surely have been the crux of any legal confrontation should that have arisen. With only five weeks to go before the opening round of the 2014 World Championship gets underway in New Zealand, many not least BSI, will be glad to see the back of this dispute even if it is temporary solution and a final one has still to be accomplished.

AS I understand it the Sports Village project, which includes the new speedway stadium, has become bogged down with the whole regeneration scheme for the area and is even tied in with the enlargement of the Ethiad Stadium, for which Manchester City (FC) have just won approval. It is very frustrating for all concerned, none more so than David Gordon who has now been working on this for seven long years. The continual delays will inevitably increase scepticism about whether this stadium will actually be constructed at all but although the wheels are grinding ever more slowly they are still grinding.

HAVE been for some time ...

IT is not BSI who are trying to impose the ban. Far from it. No question that they would rather the FIM at the very least suspended the proposed ban for at least 12 months and to try and resolve the matter in the meantime.

WASN'T it the Sanderson family who actually owned the stadium rather than the Ochiltrees themselves?

IS that the Poole team of 2013 (Holder, Ward, et al) or 2014?

SKY Italia showed the GPs from there ... those from Latvia, Croatia and Slovenia were shown on a variety of channels, and the one from Finland will be on Neolan.

BIG feature in Speedway Star this week. FIM still insisting ban applies...

BEING on Eurosport is a major factor for the SEC going to Togliatti. Of course, if BSI didn't have to pay the inscription fees that they do and the huge sums they dish out to the FIM for the commercial rights their fees would be a whole lot different, as would the money paid to riders.

NUMBER of reasons not least of which is a complete lack of interest by Russian TV stations. Speedway even at the highest level doesn't seem to register on their radar.

EMIL actually denies saying anything like that ... so there you go

EVEN by your standards that is a ludicrous statement. Riders are fully insured (it is a legal requirement) and BSI were in regular contact with Tomasz Gazinski (Gollob's manager) throughout his ordeal. I very much doubt that the Swedish doctors needed anyone to ask them to care for Gollob. Also, Gazinski was constantly enquiring whether Gollob would get a wild card place in the SGP having failed to secure a top eight place because of his crash in Stockholm. With regards to Emil's statement: it actually came from his manager who as other recent events in Poland have proved is prone to taking it upon himself to make decisions that are not actually in the rider's best interests. Of course, it is up to Emil to resolve that but I think it is time the FIM had a face-to-face discussion with Sayfutdinov about the possible consequences of any withdrawal from the SGP after having signed a contract to compete. I have stated countless times that I think the FIM are wrong to try and impose a ban on riders competing in both the SGP and the SEC having already allowed them to do so. I understand their objective that the Euros should in effect also be a feeder route to the World Championship but speedway isn't quite like other disciplines. However, if FIM decisions, whether we like them or not, are to be adhered to then they presumably have some recourse to punish riders who do not. The question has been asked but they are refusing to publicly state what action they could or will take against any rider who, having signed a contract to ride in the SGP, subsequently pulls out for no reason other than to compete elsewhere.

I NEVER said it was only that when a late substitute was required Bydgoszcz would prove to be a popular choice. And so it has.

IT'S the PZM who are pushing Warsaw

HAD a reply ... printing of the tickets is being delayed while the i's are dotted on a media contract. Shouldn't be much longer!

I HAVE emailed bsi again ... waiting for a reply

FRUSTRATING I know ... will email bsi again

WRONG...

SEVERAL including Krsko, Lonigo and another Polish venue but that would have meant changing other dates on the calendar. Bydgoszcz was a perfect fit for the opening round in Europe.

CAN you point me in the direction of where Emil actually said what you claim?