PHILIPRISING

GOLLOB was asked in respect of his record since 1995, his massive contribution to the SGP and the fact that through his manager he made it known that he was anxious for another crack at the WC. The major reason behind his withdrawal is his loss of his Monster sponsorship, which he obviously didn't know about at the time of campaigning for a wild card.

HOPEFULLY this is the case but until the FIM confirm, and they haven't, not sure we can call it official.

FAIR point, thank you, although I would point out that we don't have subscribers telephone numbers

NO (for the hundredth time)...

NONE ...

HPW many more times ... it's HARRIS!

IT would have been up to the Polish Federation to ask him, if they so wished, after being informed by the FIM. The same with the German federation. The FIM say that normal procedure was followed and that eventually the ACU/BSPA were asked to supply meeting reserves and at least one English rider declined before Harris stepped up to the plate.

FOR heaven's sake ... we have been all over this before. It is just the way it panned out, especially after Zagar withdrew. Other riders refused the chance to participate in the Challenge, others declined to go as a meeting reserve. Harris was prepared to turn up at Wimborne Road and watch from the pits. But he got his chance and took it.

AT least when Belle Vue race at the greyhound stadium in 2014 they will see their new home being built...

HE doesn't get a wild card pick. The next in line from the GP Challenge (Harris) will replace Gollob. That's the FIM rule...

PLEASE yourself ... just passing on FIM explanation. Harris will replace Gollob and I thoroughly endorse what Midland Red wrote. No doubt there will be the conspiracy theorists who think that BSI in their perceived desire to get Chris into the series by hook or by crook persuaded Monster to pull the plug on their six figure sponsorship of the Gollob (the real reason behind his withdrawal from the SGP) to accommodate their golden boy. SEE above ...

And there are 12 SGP rounds as opposed to four in the SEC ...

IF Jason Crump had been named in the official 2013 line-up and then withdrew (retired) the circumstances would have been different but he wasn't and (say the FIM) they weren't. BUT he accepted the wild card invitation and was named by the FIM in the official 2014 line-up...

BECAUSE, as far as the fIM were concerned and unlike this year, the actual line-up for the following year's series had not been concluded.

NOT BSI's decision ... it comes from the FIM. And the situation with Jonsson and Dryml was different in the eyes of the FIM hierarchy.

BELIEVE so but it ain't easy on an iPhone in my view....

NOT sure what Emil will do but think the rest will stay with the SGP if they have to ... Nicki Pedersen has made some noises but would his sponsors rather see him at Holsted than PARKEN? He also has Swedish sponsors.... It still remains an un-necessary war but the only people who can resolve it are those in Geneva. Matthew Harding, who a Director at Benfield Greig and was involved in Chelsea before his untimely death due to a helicopter crash, was one of the reasons Benfield Sports International (BSI) got off the ground and while it is true that much of the early funding came from Benfield Greig later on JP bought them out. Benfield Greig became involved because Postlethwaite, who had been Commercial Director at Benneton's F1 team and knew many of those at the insurance giant, convinced them of its potential, especially as a TV product.

THANKS ... SS App now available from the App Store via iTunes but, to be honest, best to stick with Exactly ... apart from anything else its cheaper for the subscriber!

JOHN Postlethwaite saw the potential of the SGP where others, many from far bigger organisations, didn't and had the guts to gamble and pile millions into it. He could just as easily have lost. I don't see any harm in someone making a profit. Presumably whoever you work for, even if it is yourself, tries to do just that. You or I could have taken on the SGP but imagine we had neither the balls nor the finance. BSI/IMG have explored new markets (New Zealand and Finland of late) but you only have to look at a map and see the sheer size of Russia to appreciate that country is a very different ball game. I think they stood a better chance with the SWC - national pride and all that - but Emil and the Laguta brothers pretty well scuppered that last year. Even their own federation doesn't take speedway too seriously...

LOTS of sportsmen and women, including motorcyclists, don't earn a living on prize money, especially from the FIM! When John Postlethwaite first secured the commercial rights for the SGP from the FIM, who had been touting it around since its inception, at his first meeting with the riders he told them that if they were to make significant money from the series it would be through sponsorship. He would provide the TV coverage and the stages on which they would perform, the rest was up to them. Some, like Tony Rickardsson, benefitted massively. For many sponsorship is harder to come by than others but there are plenty who have earned very good money from deals secured on the basis of the TV exposure provided by the SGP in appearing in some major venues. That is fact. And, of course, SGP riders do get paid to ride with a pre-season payment and prize money, although you and others may consider that a mere pittance. Maybe it is but the World Championship is the cream on the cake and plenty, like Jason Crump for example, saw it that way. Incidentally, I also made some enquiries about showing the SGP on TV in Russia. Apparently there is zero interest, most TV companies don't even know who Emil Sayfutdinov is. As for Eurosport, TV companies contracted to BSI like those in Denmark, Poland and Sweden are adamant that they do not want the SGP shown on Eurosport (other than the British version which is in effect a separate entity) because of its possible effect on their own audiences.

THINK you can set assured that Sky aren't getting it for nothing. And, as has been pointed out numerous times on this forum, TV production at GP meetings is handled by BSI and passed onto the broadcasters whether that be Sky or British Eurosport.

CANNOT imagine you can force any one to ride even if they have entered but whether or not the FIM have sanctions at their disposal I'm not sure. Agree about Nice potentially adding to Emil's contract but whatever one's feelings about all this would be disappointed if a rider like Emil didn't actually want to be World Champion. I know the sacrifices Greg Hancock (and Billy Hamill) made when they came to England but it was never about money. They wanted to be World Champion and figured they would reap the spoils later. Contrasting sounds coming out of the FIM about what the next step is with them and OneSport but think everyone can agree that the FIM have tried to shut the stable door after the horse has bolted. They (and FIM Europe) should have stipulated from the word go that SGP riders wouldn't be allowed to compete in the European Championship in the same year and that it would be a feeder into the SGP. Think this is the real bone of contention within the various factions of the FIM and, as I have said before, they were warned by BSI/IMG and others that attempting to do it retrospectively was fraught with danger.

MY gut feeling after some discussions regarding Gollob's withdrawal is that the FIM have no choice but to follow their own rules and promote Chris Harris into the 2014 SGP series. Incidentally, I have had it confirmed, for what it is worth, that all other 14 riders have submitted their entry forms to the FIM for the 2014 SGP.

HAVE stated on here several times that BSI warned the FIM that they would be opening a can of worms if they went ahead with banning GP riders from the SEC but they went and did it anyway. Ball is currently in the FIM's court... IT will be up to the FIM to determine how Gollob's replacement is chosen. HE wasn't...

GIVEN a choice I would imagine FIM/BSI would be more likely to look for a like-for-like replacement as in a Pole-for-a-Pole ...