Humphrey Appleby Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Laguta wore a Russian race jacket in his wild card at the Latvian gp. I believe he was denied citizenship to Latvia, and there is a lot of red tape in that area as many Russians are applying due to Latvia being in the EU. Latvia has a very high percentage of ethnic Russians, nearly 50% of the population I think. However, although most have lived there for two or three generations, Latvia refuses to grant citizenship unless they can speak Latvian, so they're effectively stateless. Daugavpils is where many of the 'Russians' live, although I'm not sure whether is actually a Russian Russian or a Latvian Russian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldace Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Laguta wore a Russian race jacket in his wild card at the Latvian gp. I believe he was denied citizenship to Latvia, and there is a lot of red tape in that area as many Russians are applying due to Latvia being in the EU. He was Latvian national champion as they opened up their national competition to gain a more competitive field and to he develop the Latvian riders to a higher pace. Same as what has happened with the new Zealand championship in effect. Rune Holta is a completely different issue... He rides as a polish national as he has citizenship and passport. Just because you have a countries race licence doesn't entitle you to represent that country...many riders who come over to the uk will take out a Acu licence. Any rider on an ACU license would wear the colours of Great Britain in any individual World Championship round he was in. Great Britain is affiliated to the FIM via the ACU. Many riders in the past have sought alternative (easier) means of qualifying and taken out, or considered taking out a license from another country, Gordon Kennet, by virtue of a Danish wife considered the option in the seventies. If you have a countries racing license, not only does it entitle you to wear those colours in the GP, it obliges yo to do so. Of course the World Cup is different, only passport holders can represent a given country Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Yes.And i think there is a fairly well known tale of Simon Wigg using a Dutch licence and wearing a Dutch race jacket in world championship longtrack,but he didn't want them to play the Netherlands national anthem when he won.Marvyn Cox rode as a German at one stage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 (edited) Any rider on an ACU license would wear the colours of Great Britain in any individual World Championship round he was in. Great Britain is affiliated to the FIM via the ACU. Many riders in the past have sought alternative (easier) means of qualifying and taken out, or considered taking out a license from another country, Gordon Kennet, by virtue of a Danish wife considered the option in the seventies.Jason Bunyan become a Belgian in 2001 to allow him to do the GP qualifiers. Seems he'll sell himself out where ever he has to so he can ride World Championship speedway. Edited January 24, 2012 by SCB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dontforgetthefueltapsbruv Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Jason Bunyan become a Belgian in 2001 to allow him to do the GP qualifiers. Seems he'll sell himself out where ever he has to so he can ride World Championship speedway. Dont know why but this post made me think of Stuart Hall commentating on 'Its a knockout'....and here comes Jason Bunyan for the Belgians on a joker ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 when you ride in the individual World Championship you ride for yourself not your country 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcel Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 i think this move using him is a joke it makes the series look tinpot and that its being done as a financial matter .with due respect this is a pl number 7 lining up in a gp if the series cant afford to have top quality wild card and reserves there then dont run it there,you cant just put a rider in it cause he wins a weak national title every year,you need wild cards in it that are in the mix every race Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 when you ride in the individual World Championship you ride for yourself not your country So why not have an Australian as the wildcard then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Skid Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 Cos the Kiwi's hate the Ozzies more than the Scots hate the English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blazeaway Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 Cos the Kiwi's hate the Ozzies more than the Scots hate the English. And who can blame them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIE-JA Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 So why not have an Australian as the wildcard then? Because the NZ authorities who are stumping up some of the cash to get the event off the ground have insisted on someone more associated with NZ speedway. No money-no event. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatDave Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 (edited) Cos the Kiwi's hate the Ozzies more than the Scots hate the English. The feeling is reciprocated, I can assure you - - but let's face it, when your only other neighbours are penguins who else are you gonna hate? In fact, since today's Strayaday, we're going one step further - Edited January 25, 2012 by BigFatDave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehammer Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 Can't believe how much people are complaining.... People want to see Speedway go global, New Zealand have someone prepared to stump up the cash over 3 years to try and help it happen, then they complain when the 1 little thing in response is that they would like to see a rider who has a bit of a background in New Zealand Speedway taking part. Why do people seem to think having a 'top class' wildcard is going to make a huge amount of difference..... the extra cost involved to get that rider here is a start, but also it is not as though that wildcard is going to win the World title... they are there for just 1 meeting, not the whole series. Let Jason have his chance, let New Zealand have their opportunity to try and develop Speedway once again in the lesser nations, and more importantly lets try to help Speedway go even more global..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 Because the NZ authorities who are stumping up some of the cash to get the event off the ground have insisted on someone more associated with NZ speedway. No money-no event. And the Welsh authorities stump up the cash for the British GP but I see no Welshman in the meeting. But it's not relevant to this arguement, the suggestion was riders compete in a GP for themselves not a country, that being the case why does someones Nationality matter? Thing is, we all know thats rubbish, riders do compete for the Nation they're representing, wether they care or not (and in most cases I doubt they care at all) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 I've known a lot of world finalists and none of them race speedway to race for their country, they race for themselves and will do almost anything to get there. Once they are there then their country might come into it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldace Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 I've known a lot of world finalists and none of them race speedway to race for their country, they race for themselves and will do almost anything to get there. Once they are there then their country might come into it What are you on about. We all know a rider rides for himself, it is the "World Individual Speedway Campionship" the clue is in the title. Thats not in doubt, what was being discussed was what nations colours a rider wears on his body colour and despite some of the nonsensical posts on here the answer is the flag of the nation that issues his racing license. Unless you are Egon Muller in 1977 and then you refuse to wear a body colour at all!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 What are you on about. We all know a rider rides for himself, it is the "World Individual Speedway Campionship" the clue is in the title. Thats not in doubt, what was being discussed was what nations colours a rider wears on his body colour and despite some of the nonsensical posts on here the answer is the flag of the nation that issues his racing license. Unless you are Egon Muller in 1977 and then you refuse to wear a body colour at all!!! So the fact that he has a NZ licence as well as a UK one seems to pass a few by 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oxtonash Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 I have never posted on here before because the endless crying bores me tbh. However I have learnt that Jason Bunyan is the Wild Card for the NZ GP. Cue endless crying! Well for me I'm buzzing at the prospect of him taking part and can't wait, I actually stood on the terraces watching him a couple of years ago when with Stoke and the NZ GP was rumoured. I said then I'd bet money he'd get the Wild Card and should have put a few quid down! gutted ha! Anyway, for me it's reminded me a little of when Stoney was in the GP and lets face facts people love it when the underdog mixes it with the big I am's! I Just hope his injury problems are sorted and that he can maybe get hold of or borrow some decent equipment for the meeting, if so I believe he'll mix it with anyone Hancock to Harris and not even blink! Anyway enough from me. Love your sport, stop crying and enjoy the GP. I will :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Skid Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 FIM rules state that a Wild Card entry has to ride on a Licence issued by the Country staging the GP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted January 27, 2012 Report Share Posted January 27, 2012 FIM rules state that a Wild Card entry has to ride on a Licence issued by the Country staging the GP. NOT sure about that. Zagar in Italy, Ward in Poland. All riders competing in a GP have to possess a FIM international licence which covers Grand Prix events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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