Hamish McRaker

Have the promoters, by signing away such power to GSI in the first place, allowed themselves to be put over a barrel? Seriously, would a promoter decide to cancel a meeting over 48 hours beforehand unless its completely open and shut case? Either the promoters decided (and have been proved correct) that it was financially worth it, to sign away so much power to a third party back in 2009, or they were wrong/eejits/conned.....(delete as appropriate).

I'd keep quiet about that, if i were you. If the H&S Executive find out, they'll be requiring all tracks to be flooded before matches can take place.

But helpful for deciding which match/es to spend time and money going to watch?

They have that power because the promoters gave it to them in 2009! And its legally bound

From what i've been reading, it seems as though Sky/GSI (and not the promoter) are have sole right to postpone a meeting, up until when it starts, then the responsibility transfers to the SCB official (who some would argue, is a puppet of GSI). Sky is not the bogeyman, but it just seems that the balance of the relationship between BSPA/GSI/Sky such as it has been struck in formal terms, is out of kilter, with too much tilt towards GSI and Sky when it comes to decisions on postponement prior to the scheduled start time. Does this balance need to be corrected, via some sensible discussions between the parties? -yes it appears to be so. What was witnessed last night was hugely detrimental to the reputation of speedway and probably Sky Sport too, at a time when that damage can't be afforded. The parties need to work out a better, and workable balance of power as an urgent priority.

GoSpeed sort the deal with Sky don't they. I don't think promoters are involved but could be wrong So GoSpeed are basically middlemen, are they? Acting on behalf of the promoters? And the promoters give them a completely free hand? Even more incredible!

So, what are the exact terms of the agreement between Sky Sport and the Elite League? It sounds like it gives Sky complete control over whether or not a match goes ahead or is called off (before the start time anyway), and over how the track is prepared. How incredible! Did the promoters really agree to such terms? If they did, well they have no cause to protest when this sort of thing happens. I don't know how long the current agreement has left to run, but it looks like the promoters should grow a set of balls in any future negotiations and not give so much control to Sky Sports. Its all very well for Mick Horton to bemoan his ill fortune, but surely he should know full well what could happen under the terms of the agreement, something which he surely would have been a party to?

Flagrag- majority of the positives so far seem to be coming from further afield than Leicester! By the way, I will lay claim to be the first on here to come up with Walasek's name after your rather strong clues, so I think you ought to be careful about throwing bricks in Lionking's direction. Lionking has claimed that he's got some involvement in the running or financing of the club. Is he the Ying to Mr Hemsley's Yang? They seem to contrast with each other so perfectly, they obviously make a great team!! Anyways, that's my visitations to this neck of the woods over with for a while now. It's been "fun" (sometimes) - back to tilling the soils of the Hebrides for me.

Every rider is affected by visa issues when it comes to building teams!!!

Because the visa situation is a connected issue, but not directly applying to the rider himself(think jigsaws) ?

Neat style?? - well i dont think he's a fence scraper, is he? Good at small tracks?? - is with Rospiggarna in Sweden.....which i think is a small track (dont know about his Polish club though) Average?? - 6.24 I gather from previous time in UK

I'd hazard a guess that a lot can be read into it, yes.

I think T.N.T. is talking about "The Dark Side" .......must have strayed across by mistake!

Mr G.Walasek?

I thought Klindt put in some good shifts for Leicester last year.....it was in PL where he struggled. Never mind. If Leicester do sign Shamek, (now the Ward dust has settled down on the south coast), and have to jettison Wozniak as a result, could it be that Captain Nemo will ride back into town??

So who is the FIM accountable to? Is there a higher authority? I cant think of any other governing body above it......so presume it would be the relevant Justice system? International Sport arbitration court or something similar?

Leicester getting cold feet over Wozniak and his 5.50 assessed average? Prem Pawlicki plus ? incoming? Make that Prem Pawlicki plus N.Klindt

The FIM seem to be making sure that Ward is punished by just dragging the matter on so long that he's forced to miss the UK season - the sands of time have run out for him. Makes it all the more likely his alcohol test will be deemed to have been conducted in an unsatisfactory way, but as he did break the rules, he deserves some punishment. More than one way of skinning a cat!!

Sounds like a BOGOF deal

But the raised points limit not just relevant to pre-season team building. Also provides better scope for teams to make mid-season adjustments, including riders whose seasons in Poland/Sweden may be offering reduced opportunities,even including former World Champions??

Two from Korneliussen, Hougaard and Ljung?

Is it certain that Wozniak is assessed at 5.00? Where has this been officially stated? There are reports from Australia that riders new to the UK will have a minimum 7.00 average applied, irrespective of their standing, and that it has been thus decreed by the UK Borders agency. Fact or fiction??

Agree with you. Far too much post-race chumminess these days and the sponsor-based "kinship" stuff has added to this. Rivalry should be genuine and at times fierce.

The UK can no longer afford to operate the current Elite League. And it is no longer a practical proposition. There still needs to be more than one level of league, but in the present times, the UK is far more suited to the top level being approximately the level of the current PL. And if the higher-priced riders don't like that, then tough, we should have the balls to say goodbye and we will go with something that is more suitable. That should put an end to issues about race nights. If any of the current EL clubs don't like that, and think it would be a backwards step, then they should look at forming a european super league or something like that.

Mr Havelock comes across a bit like one of most hopeless cases from one of those government "back to work" programmes