Kennett Suspended!

[psymon]

This is obviously a bad day for the sport, not just in this country but world wide. If the sport loses its credibility, it will eventually lose what sponsors it has got, as well as coverage on Sky eventually. So what needs to happen next?

Firstly; After a full inspection of the illegal silencer, Edward needs a full and open hearing at the SCB. He and his mechanics need to be asked about how come he was riding with an illegal silencer and how long he has been riding with it. It would also be interesting to know how much advantage he has gained from it. Any points gained from the silencer need to be deducted from Coventry and league points adjusted accordingly (also any other teams he has ridden for using the silencer as well obviously). If it is proved that Edward has deliberately cheated, he needs to be punished justly and fairly. If his mistake was 'innocent' and did not cause significant advantage (in the eyes of the SCB), Coventry should not sack him.

Secondly; The SCB and governing bodies in Poland, Sweden etc. need to visit the workshop of every top flight (eg Elite League or other top leagues) speedway rider and test every silencer they have got in as quick a time scale as they can manage. We need to know if Edward's silencer was alone or if the sport has a wider problem.

Thirdly; For the rest of the season, every silencer at every top flight meeting needs to checked (I guess this will need several examiners at every meeting)

Fourthly; Mechanics of top flight riders need to be licensed and asked to sign a code of conduct by the SCB or their home governing body.

 

Unfortunately, tightening the bike examination regime will cost money (that I dare say the promoters don't have). The next question is how will this be funded? I don't know, but if there is a problem in the sport, we need to find the scope of it and put it right. However, can I stress we don't know all the facts yet. I personally will judge Edward Kennett (and his mechanics) after the SCB hearing, not before.

[Sprog1]

I dont know if the question has been asked before but how did the Machine Examiners come to notice that Kennetts silencer was possibly illegal ? I see from the live updates site his times were nothing special .I have spoken to a Hammers supporter who said his bike sounded no different to normal either ? Thanks

 

 

 

I believe usual method of checking these things between races is looking for abnormal discolouration of the chrome. I don't fully understand it myself but people who are examining bikes at every meeting look out for certain give-away signs on the chrome which might indicate something different about the way the gases are going through the silencer. I don't think its a fool-proof test but it raises suspicions. Like a lot of things in life people who are doing a job all the time notice things or get a feel for things that other people don't.

 

All this raises the question of whether Roscoe knew what Kennett was doing. If the SCB examiner suspected something was wrong on a casual visual check then how come Roscoe, an ex-rider himself who knows all the tricks of the trade didn't notice anything ? Roscoe after all is working with Kennett all the time, every meeting so how come he didn't notice anything untoward . . Did Roscoe turn a blind eye ? I suppose we will never know.

 

 

[Bomo1]

I just can't believe all the people on here who think the official Bees Statement is a good one!!??

 

What about support for your captain, subject to further investigation of the charges.

 

I cannot believe that the management did not know of this possibility!! Whatever the final outcome, I hope Eddie is not hung out to dry by the sports management or his promotion!!

[Bryn]

....... I rode one at kings Lynn and it spat me off, yes I'm a. Lesser rider but I don't often fall off, but it made it so hard to slide.

 

 

Good to hear 'snapper' Chris - er unlike your early days at Oxford eh?

Edited August 7, 2011 by Bryn

[beesfan81]

what have the machine examiners been doing before the meeting?

 

The machine examiners aparently spotted the issue, then reported it a few races in. At that point Eddie would have known he was busted and changed it surely, only a complete fool would continue using something they knew was illegal and knowing full well what the resulting action could be. Possibly my rose tinted glasses as a Coventry fan but there must be more to this.

[jim3751]

The original statement says that 3 Coventry silencers were to be protested- Why? What made Lakeside suspicious or was it just a fishing excercise knowing it goes on? The other 2 were legal.

[Sprog1]

BUT Steve, apart from anything else, you included the name of a respectable company in your tirade and if their lawyers get to see it I fear you might be in for a rude and potentially expensive awakening.

 

For a magazine editor you are incredibly naive about the laws of libel. Read Steve's post and then read some of the things Private Eye print without getting sued. With due respect to Steve he is a wind-up merchant and its all banter. As orion says these sort of comments are made on here all the time and nobody takes them seriously.

 

 

 

[PHILIPRISING]

The original statement says that 3 Coventry silencers were to be protested- Why? What made Lakeside suspicious or was it just a fishing excercise knowing it goes on? The other 2 were legal.

 

 

MY knowledge is admittedly very limited, but as I understand it because of the restrictions within the silencers they are prone to get very hot (one of the early complaints) and that can lead to some colour distortion but that doesn't necessarily mean to say they are illegal or have been tampered with.

 

If the silencer has been deliberately taken apart and modified in such a way that the engine runs more freely at the bottom end and is therefore more effective from the start and exiting the first corner (crucial in any race) that is something else. Those I have spoken to say that most likely evidence of this is the noise factor ... they would obviously be noisier than those introduced this year. But it would also be a laborious and skilful exercise to make such adjustments and to disguise the fact that the silencer had been taken apart and then welded back together.

[NOBBY]

Should be sacked immediately and replaced. And refund my admission fee from last night.

 

I take it you mean Coventry should refund your admission fee rather than Lakeside who had done nothing wrong last night ???? :blink:

[Druid]

Maybe now with Oxford gone Coventry can replace Bees with the name Cheetahs

 

I like it the Coventry Buildbase Cheetahs.

[orion]

I just can't believe all the people on here who think the official Bees Statement is a good one!!??

 

What about support for your captain, subject to further investigation of the charges.

 

I cannot believe that the management did not know of this possibility!! Whatever the final outcome, I hope Eddie is not hung out to dry by the sports management or his promotion!!

 

 

How do you know that Kennett has not told them that he has cheated ? if thats the case then no further investigation is needed ....the fact of the matter is by the action they have taken and the statement given they are pretty clear on the matter .

[PHILIPRISING]

For a magazine editor you are incredibly naive about the laws of libel. Read Steve's post and then read some of the things Private Eye print without getting sued. With due respect to Steve he is a wind-up merchant and its all banter. As orion says these sort of comments are made on here all the time and nobody takes them seriously.

 

AFTER 50 years in journalism I can assure you that I am not naive about the laws of libel. Private Eye and TV's Have I Got News For You frequently get away with libel/slander because quite often those in the firing line are not prepared to take action. But Private Eye also have a long record of losing libel cases against those who have been prepared to go along the legal route.

 

I repeat, if Speedway Star had printed such comments we would have been bombarded by writs, not least from Buildbase.

[Chris Brown]

 

Eddie will learn from this and after facing the consequences not do anything as silly again. Might hav to miss a while out but he will come back better for it.

 

More chance of Eddie Kennett learning from this than there is of you learning to not go over the top Steve

 

You may well have meant it toungue in cheek, I guess we have to take your word for that but lets just pretend Sandhu decided to take action, any lawyer would take the words you posted and franklt take you to the cleaners

 

We all just need to be a little careful when posting about people with the ability to destroy an individual without batting an eyelid

 

I agree that there is a lot of this sort of stuff posted but one day I fear it might happen

Edited August 7, 2011 by Chris Brown

[stevebrum]

Wonder if Hans Anderson has his phone switched on.

 

He wont be going to Cov!!! Average to high for them to benefit from riders on a low average again.

 

I think Coventry Speedway are waiting for it to be made official then I think Eddie will be up the road, He has let his team mates down and all the fans, dont think he can show his face at Coventry again.

 

However Eddie will be snapped up somewhere else im sure.

Whoever signs him (or if Cov continue to use him) will be supporting someone who (it would appear) has been caught cheating.

 

 

I wonder who is ordering new silencers today?

 

As Scott Nicholls has hinted at, this could be just the tip of a small iceberg.

Will be very interesing to see if riders now suddenly start struggling on `new` silencers!

 

 

A few riders over the year got a 12 month ban for failing drug tests -I wonder what Kennett's sentence will be if found guilty? For me drug taking is worse as that endangers the lives of ones fellow riders.

 

If guilty I would suggest a ban for the rest of the 2011 season. Gives him time to think and sort himself out but the lesson learned will hopefully have him honest and straight in the future.

 

Not sure that a ban for rest of the season is appropriate. But then i`m not sure what is.

If a 7 day ban has been suggested then that is what it should be.

Eddie will have to take the flak that comes with this after 7 days - and whichever club he rides for will get huge derision and fan backlash.

That is for Eddie and the club to deal with.

 

Of course there is always Eddie`s side - which would put the full spin on it. Hopefully Speedway Star will carry a full interview with him in the next few weeks.

 

 

Quote?

 

Some riders obviously NOT using dodgy silencers;

 

The entire Swindon Robins

 

That is just SO cruel!

 

 

I love this - "dismissal if Rosco can find an adequate replacement" Whatever happened to the sense of moral outrage?

 

 

And if they cant they will continue using Ed (which i think they will anyway).

Very hard to take this so called moral high ground of the closed season seriously if they continue to use him after such a strong worded press statement.

 

I`m sure this will run and run for a while.

[Old Saint]

For a magazine editor you are incredibly naive about the laws of libel. Read Steve's post and then read some of the things Private Eye print without getting sued. With due respect to Steve he is a wind-up merchant and its all banter. As orion says these sort of comments are made on here all the time and nobody takes them seriously.

 

It may be a "wind up" and "banter" but it was, IMHO, uncalled for and very strong language to use. I am afraid that it did not read like either a wind up or banter but as an attack on several individuals alleging knowingly condoning or taking part in, wrongdoing. This opinion is reinforced by the rather grudging apology.

 

I would stress that this is not intended to be an attack on the original poster but it does serve to warn posters to think before they speak.

[Bash]

And Jerran Hart's scores went downhill afterwards...

 

What do you mean his scores went downhill afterwards. His scores weren't that good in the first place And his were found to be legal.

 

The only way round it is like Tommy Nicholls suggested have the spares van provide the silencers and the riders draw lots before the meeting. They did this with the tyres after riders were found to be tampering with them so why not do the same with the silencers.

[speedway12]

to be honest. this is what happens when the BSPA bring in stupid rule changes i.e new silencers. BSPA and the majority of fans dont realise the amount of money riders are losing out on the actions of BSPA. For example having to buy brand new silencers for each bike and then getting your engines tuned to suit them.

Also just wondering, if the silencer EDD has used dosent exceed the sound limit or whatever, should it be illegal?? its just like tuning an engine.

[NOBBY]

Excellent statement from the club, that hopefully hints at his imminent dismissal if Rosco can find an adequate replacement.

 

A wee bit naughty to call for his head on a plate unless Rosco can't get a replacement then it's okay for him to stay and he'll be forgiven !!!!! I am not going to play hangman but those who are then he's either sacked or not. It shouldn't be down to only if a suitable replacement can be found !!!!

[alan_boon]

Hypothetically, let's say that Eddie said, "It appears my mechanic did something without me knowing. I've dismissed him and will never use him again. He's admniited this to the SCB, and assures them this was the first time it's happened. I accept that, as the rider, I should have checked my machine, and I will do so in future." What would you say?

[orion]

More chance of Eddie Kennett learning from this than there is of you learning to not go over the top Steve

 

You may well have meant it toungue in cheek, I guess we have to take your word for that but lets just pretend Sandhu decided to take action, any lawyer would take the words you posted and franklt take you to the cleaners

 

We all just need to be a little careful when posting about people with the ability to destroy an individual without batting an eyelid

 

I agree that there is a lot of this sort of stuff posted but one day I fear it might happen

 

 

I expect any Lawyer would find it hard to prove it was Steve who wrote it ....maybe someone else used his login etc hence why it will never happen .