scribbler

Cradley - The Poole of the NL ... in so many ways...

I don't believe that only men rape women - or that only women are raped.

Because a remark by another forum user assumed I was male.

I am female. Just because a couple are married - or in a relationship - doesn't mean that a man has a right to have sex. Any woman has the right to say 'No'. If a woman is trying not to allow penetration do you still think she wants sex? Does it never occur to you that, just because you want sex that the woman might not? It does not make a man any less of a man if he respects what a woman says - and that what a woman says is what she means.

How many of you realise that when a woman says 'No' to sex that means 'No' - even within marriage. Having sex with a woman is not the same as 'making love' as a couple. Maybe - like me - the young woman did not realise that her consent to sex was needed and that a man who had sex with her without her full consent was raping her.

And it really should/would have been so simple... DW fails test - admits to drinking the night before the meeting on camera to TV audience. Who/what has complicated the case?

But if he hadn't been caught before the meeting he would have ridden in the meeting - endangering his life and the life of others. He turned up to the meeting intending to ride - therefore he was willing to ride even though he had alcohol in his system. It does not matter how little or how much alcohol was in his system - what matters was that he intended riding. Admitting - on camera - that he hadn't 're-hydrated' enough is an admission that he had drunk alcohol. He did not appear contrite about the situation - he just seemed to feel sorry that he's been caught. The mere fact that he was willing to ride in a meeting and endanger the life of other riders is what upsets me. MF and Middleditch appear to condone his behaviour - rather than wish him to change his behaviour - and I therefore have no respect for them or their opinions.

But the majority of riders are not top riders... and no wonder...

Hancock has stated on Sky that he only drinks out of season - and I presume that Woffy and Holder are the same. Greg and Tai are very keen on fitness regimes - eating the right food and exercising. Ward has either been very good or very bad at gating in a GP meeting... I've since been wondering if he's better at gating when he's sober or not...

I'm (almost) sure your comment - the last sentence - was unintentional... But it read as if the opinions of those able to attend were more important. There are many reasons why people cannot physically attend events - family commitments, financial hardships, disability - to name just three that immediately come to mind. Perhaps you are paid to attend - or perhaps not... The consensus may be that those unable to attend have thought long and hard about their opinions on 'the Ward issue'. Sometimes a quick 'hands-up' exercise after a question has been asked results in an artificial response as people watch what others do/don't do. I wouldn't say your 'audience' were far more forgiving - just far less thoughtful about the whole scenario. The question they were asked was - I think - worded so that you got the answer that you wanted - and you did.

The breath tests are (presumably) always taken before a meeting. I assume this is for safety reasons - that no-one rides in a meeting whilst under the influence of alcohol. The fact that he did not ride is because he was tested as being unfit to ride. If he had ridden he might be facing a much bigger charge if he caused an accident - or he might have been seriously/fatally injured himself.

He's 22 years old - not a boy - but he is childish ...

I thought that they concentrated on Hancock because they had the footage of how his accident occurred - and that they could film what was happening to him with the medics. They didn't know what was wrong with NKI - and there was nothing to see. I didn't see it as bias at all ...

The FIM would not be robbing supporters/paying punters by punishing him... It is Ward's own choices/actions that have the potential to rob the Speedway world of his talents. He certainly wasn't thinking about his career or his supporters when he knowingly drank the night before a GP. One thing that has been niggling me since last weekend... Ward is not known for his gating ability - but every so often he had an evening of superb gating. Before I accepted that it was just a good night for his gating ... now I keep wondering why. I keep wondering if he has taken anything that either makes him a poor gater or a brilliant gater. His inconsistency is making me doubt his 'natural' ability.

Should Dudek's ban be lower than Ward's if Dudek unknowingly took a banned substance and Ward knowingly took a banned substance?

Maybe the FIM Medical Jury will consider his mental health - and the effect of drinking on his mental and physical health. I agree that he should not be riding whilst he is awaiting a decision from the FIM Medical Jury. The mere title of the Jury should mean that there are people on it qualified to make an informed decision... and that he is unfit to ride. Westhamboy66 He's not been singled out. He was caught with alcohol in his system. I don't think any right-minded rider would mind being breathalysed before every meeting.

And is anyone else annoyed/frustrated at the restriction of 'likes'

I've been through far worse in my life than Darcy Ward - including the death of both my parents within a month. Not once have I resorted to drink because it wouldn't have solved anything. If Ward needs to drink because his parents had separated weeks/days previous it appears that he does have a problem with alcohol as he's using it to supress his emotions. The situation - and his emotions - will still be there when he stops drinking. He's on the downward spiral. Drink is now affecting his work life as well as his personal life. He needs help and 'tough love'. Those who 'give in' to him and pander to his behaviour are making the situation worse. I wish/hope that someone within the sport will see his self-destruction and offer the right kind of help.

I don't understand why his parents had to inform him the night (or couple of days) before a GP. Surely they could have waited until after the GP to tell him... And he is 22, not a child, and has been separated from his parents for long lengths of time for a few years now. Ward drowning his sorrows hasn't achieved anything. His parents won't get back together for his sake. He's not a child... It would be so much more devastating for a child. As Gavan says - Emil and Tai had to cope with the death of a parent. Ward's parents are still alive - and may even get back together again.

The Dudek case happened 8th August 2014 - if that's the one in the Speedway News and Discussions section... Going by your explanations Dudek possibly took it innocently because he was taking dietary supplements to try and keep his weight down. Ward knows what alcohol is and does.

It's a slightly better punishment. It would, perhaps, give Matt Ford a bit of a problem as regards working out his team for the start of the season. Considering Ward's 'previous' perhaps his punishment should be linked with attendance at drug/alcohol awareness sessions or attendance at counselling sessions. He really does need to look at his behaviour - and 'tough love' is needed. If his managers etc. really care about him they will not let him get away with this - again.

The guy who knocked down my daughter 'only had a few' the night before. She survived - with a brain injury. Nobody should drive /ride with alcohol in their system - under any circumstances. No news is that bad that you have to drink and drive/ride. You do one or the other - not both. Darcy Ward was willing to risk his own life - and those of all the other riders he would have ridden against, had he not been caught. If he gets a minor suspension I will be angry - not because of who the rider is, but because of the potential harm he (or any other rider in the same circumstances) could have inflicted on others.

I've called my children many nasty names. It didn't mean I hated them... It meant I hated their behaviour. I am not a DW hater. He has lost my respect. Gradually he has worn supporters down and the majority that comment are frustrated that he has learnt nothing from past mistakes - they hate his behaviour.

How can you tell which poster is a Darcy Ward-hater and which poster is against all speedway riders using alcohol prior to meetings?

I don't think people are rejoicing ... I (and probably others) am frustrated that people seem to think that his behaviour is normal and that a ban is a harsh punishment. It might be normal for some youngsters - but not for professional sportsmen. It doesn't only affect Ward, it affects Poole Speedway and the other teams he rides for. The sport he has chosen is not only an individual sport, it's also a team sport - so his actions affect his fellow team members... as well as his, and his teams' many supporters. Many youngsters do foolish things which, in the main, only affect family and friends. Ward's behaviour has affected his family, his friends, his team members, his supporters etc. He has brought the sport of Speedway into disrepute by prioritising drink over his profession. It is not the behaviour of a responsible adult of 22. And I remember Jimmy Greaves - before George Best... There's a sad list of many sportsmen lost to their chosen sport because of drink, drugs etc.