Darcy Ward

[Tsunami]

I'm certainly NOT condoning it but I've seen plenty riders boozing the night before a GP only some people on here prejudicley believe that Ward's the only one done it, although i think we all agree that he foolishly goes OTT. But hey 'it's what all the young ones do these days, isn't it?'.

Quite agree. Posters hammering Ward for drinking, and it's not right to drink before a GP BTW, have obviously not been in Walkabout in Cardiff before the British GP. I notice that it doesn't happen as much as it used to be.

[Gavan]

Quite agree. Posters hammering Ward for drinking, and it's not right to drink before a GP BTW, have obviously not been in Walkabout in Cardiff before the British GP. I notice that it doesn't happen as much as it used to be.

Any rider caught should be banned its simple.

I agree with starman all should be tested.

 

it is irrelevent though that it still takes nothing away from Darcy drinking and being caught and he should be punished accordingly.

[pugwash]

I agree with starman

Is this 'The Olive Branch'?

[TheReturn]

Quite agree. Posters hammering Ward for drinking, and it's not right to drink before a GP BTW, have obviously not been in Walkabout in Cardiff before the British GP. I notice that it doesn't happen as much as it used to be.

 

And? Ward was caught, riders at Cardiff haven't been. End of. Time to face his punishment (be that suspended or fixed ban of some kind or just a warning).

Edited February 9, 2015 by TheReturn

[weatherwatcher]

No problems with breath test for riders in all meetings as the costs are small to do the test, they still need to have random test for the riders for any other banned substances as the cost of this is far more.

Yes Mr. Ward needs a 2 year ban to show that the FIM take this matter seriously

[Ghostwalker]

Thanks for updating on the Swedish side of things Ghostwalker

 

I should say though that I haven't seen that many comments form different people , it have mostly been the same people

using the same excuses as this forum's Darcy fans.

Edited February 9, 2015 by Ghostwalker

[Gavan]

Is this 'The Olive Branch'?

no the man i still a fool but even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

 

law of averages that eventually he will post something people agree with

[screm]

I'm certainly NOT condoning it but I've seen plenty riders boozing the night before a GP only some people on here prejudicley believe that Ward's the only one done it, although i think we all agree that he foolishly goes OTT. But hey 'it's what all the young ones do these days, isn't it?'.

 

Names.

[Ghostwalker]

 

Names.

 

...and more importantly, proof.

[iris123]

Bloody hell u can't compare these tragedies with Darcy. Actually if anything, because of what can happen in this sport, gives more strength to Darcy's case to race again.

Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse.........no wonder promoters and riders think this forum is a place to avoid!!!!Whacko post of the year so far

[Trees]

Surely these people losing their lives on track is only further proof the sport is dangerous enough without someone riding while drunk or on drugs. I'd also add tired, concussed and generally unfit to the list too.

He wasn't "drunk", he didn't have a zero alcohol breath test rating.

Hmm there are many riders who should be in Darcy's position if they had been tested for your list of things eh!

Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse.........no wonder promoters and riders think this forum is a place to avoid!!!!Whacko post of the year so far

U don't understand my thinking .....

[The White Knight]

He wasn't "drunk", he didn't have a zero alcohol breath test rating.

Hmm there are many riders who should be in Darcy's position if they had been tested for your list of things eh!

U don't understand my thinking .....

Too right I don't............................................................ :shock:

Edited February 9, 2015 by The White Knight

[TheReturn]

no wonder promoters and riders think this forum is a place to avoid!!!!

 

 

Exactly... maybe they should stop listening to the sycophants and start listening to the critics (when fair), and then maybe in Ward's case this would have never happened.

[Star Lady]

Too right I don't............................................................ :shock:

 

Me neither. Trees often confuses me, this time she's almost rendered me speechless!!!!!!

[Wackie]

He wasn't "drunk", he didn't have a zero alcohol breath test rating.

Hmm there are many riders who should be in Darcy's position if they had been tested for your list of things eh!

U don't understand my thinking .....

 

Trees, really?????

 

We don't know what his alcohol reading was, but whatever it was still in his system and most likely would have impaired his ability on the bike putting himself but more importantly his fellow competitors in danger. There's simply no excuse for that. None!!!

 

Possibly, there are many other riders who should be in Wards position, I hope that the fact he WAS caught acts as a deterrent to others. I'll say it again, NO EXCUSE.

[SCB]

He wasn't "drunk", he didn't have a zero alcohol breath test rating.

Says who? Starman has told us that a few times but we don't know. It's possible he was so far over the limit he'd had 8 pints with his lunch an hour before the meeting. Until someone tells us what the reading it, we have no way of knowing. It was at least 0.1 which is 1/3 of the Eng/Wal drink drive limit.

[PHILIPRISING]

Says who? Starman has told us that a few times but we don't know. It's possible he was so far over the limit he'd had 8 pints with his lunch an hour before the meeting. Until someone tells us what the reading it, we have no way of knowing. It was at least 0.1 which is 1/3 of the Eng/Wal drink drive limit.

SOME comments here are getting a little out of hand. He certainly didn't have eight pints before his lunch. I was there, in the pits, at the riders' briefing when his number was called, outside the room where the test was carried out. The metre reading was not made public nor in private to anyone other than those who had a right to know. But to suggest that he was drunk - in the obvious manner than Stefan Danno was in Bydgoszcz all those years ago (was also there) - is simply not true.

 

I understand and fully accept that over the limit is over the limit but 'drunk' seems to suggest that he was slurring his words and falling about which certainly wasn't the case.

 

My own view is that panic set in at the time and his immediate comments (re-hydration, parents splitting) and actions (limping out of the pits) were very ill-judged and his 'advisers' in situ didn't know what to do. They couldn't just spirit him away because he was obligated to attend a Jury Meeting after the conclusion of the event.

 

In hindsight it would have been better for Ward to simply admit that he had had a drink the previous evening but was shocked by the failed test and would be making no further comment until the FIM had confirmed, in writing, that they were completely satisfied the tests were carried out correctly, the calibration of the machine used verified by the proper authorities and what the next steps would be.

 

Since then this whole episode has developed a life of its own... not least in the 245 pages here.

Edited February 9, 2015 by PHILIPRISING

[Wackie]

Should have, could have, didn't though. And his 'advisers' continue to make matters worse.

[500cc]

SOME comments here are getting a little out of hand. He certainly didn't have eight pints before his lunch. I was there, in the pits, at the riders' briefing when his number was called, outside the room where the test was carried out. The metre reading was not made public nor in private to anyone other than those who had a right to know. But to suggest that he was drunk - in the obvious manner than Stefan Danno was in Bydgoszcz all those years ago (was also there) - is simply not true.

 

I understand and fully accept that over the limit is over the limit but 'drunk' seems to suggest that he was slurring his words and falling about which certainly wasn't the case.

 

My own view is that panic set in at the time and his immediate comments (re-hydration, parents splitting) and actions (limping out of the pits) were very ill-judged and his 'advisers' in situ didn't know what to do. They couldn't just spirit him away because he was obligated to attend a Jury Meeting after the conclusion of the event.

 

In hindsight it would have been better for Ward to simply admit that he had had a drink the previous evening but was shocked by the failed test and would be making no further comment until the FIM had confirmed, in writing, that they were completely satisfied the tests were carried out correctly, the calibration of the machine used verified by the proper authorities and what the next steps would be.

 

Since then this whole episode has developed a life of its own... not least in the 245 pages here.

Most of this 'life of its own' is the direct result of speedway 'insiders' releasing information. There is really no direction or control to this sport nationally or globally. Somebody at the BSPA should be speaking to Middleditch and getting him to tone down his comments in the media. It is incredibly negative for the sport. It doesn't matter this is an international issue, domestically we shouldn't be interfering.

 

If Ward is guilty, I fear a backlash against the sport for the way they've handled it. It is easy for every one to say drinking and riding is acceptable. Most people say Ward must learn from this. But I don't see that from the sport which is more concerned about having one of its star attractions suspended.

 

It should be remembered that in almost any other job Ward would have been sacked by now, and certainly if a guilty count is returned. If a bus driver failed a breath test having previously dragged his companies name through court cases, you can be sure his job wouldn't be kept open for the future. Now Ward deserves to be treated fairly and the fact his employees continue to stand by him puts him in an envious position. So why can't his acquaintances leave it at that rather than using the media as a propoganda weapon and a route to abuse the FIM.

[Arson fire]

Are we there yet??

SOME comments here are getting a little out of hand. He certainly didn't have eight pints before his lunch. I was there, in the pits, at the riders' briefing when his number was called, outside the room where the test was carried out. The metre reading was not made public nor in private to anyone other than those who had a right to know. But to suggest that he was drunk - in the obvious manner than Stefan Danno was in Bydgoszcz all those years ago (was also there) - is simply not true.

 

I understand and fully accept that over the limit is over the limit but 'drunk' seems to suggest that he was slurring his words and falling about which certainly wasn't the case.

 

My own view is that panic set in at the time and his immediate comments (re-hydration, parents splitting) and actions (limping out of the pits) were very ill-judged and his 'advisers' in situ didn't know what to do. They couldn't just spirit him away because he was obligated to attend a Jury Meeting after the conclusion of the event.

 

In hindsight it would have been better for Ward to simply admit that he had had a drink the previous evening but was shocked by the failed test and would be making no further comment until the FIM had confirmed, in writing, that they were completely satisfied the tests were carried out correctly, the calibration of the machine used verified by the proper authorities and what the next steps would be.

 

Since then this whole episode has developed a life of its own... not least in the 245 pages here.

In what capacity are you in the pits constantly Philip?? Genuine question??