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I think a fair punishment would be a 1 year ban from all speedway and an additional 12 months from national team events (national champs, GP, GP qualifiers, SWC and etc).

After all that was the punishment for Dudek so Ward shouldn't be treated any differently, especially since Ward was very well aware of what he was drinking

while Dudek (atleast in theory) might have gotten the illegal substance into his system without intent.

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Of course Monster will have an influence! Do you really expect anyone to think differently? Monster are headline sponsor, they'll want as much exposure as they can get for their money, which will including as many of their riders as they can get into the series. Wasn't Monster Joe out with Ward the night before his failed breath test? Could it be he feels a little responsible for encouraging, or not stopping Ward getting leathered the night before the GP?

 

If Ward isn't banned, you can almost guarantee he'll get a wild card for 2015.

 

 

 

Is it speedway people at the FIM who are appaulled? Mr Castagna perhaps who's relatively new to the FIM and it's workings? To be fair, it's quite possible that Ward or his advisors comments about the technicalities of how the test was carried out has probably delayed things. I would imagine the FIM are ensuring that they have a hydrated tight case before presenting their findings to the jury. It really would be egg on their face if after a public confession by Ward that he was to then get off on a technicality.ink

 

Personally I think he'll get a 2 year ban with a year suspended, so he'll receive a fair-ish punishment but will still get the wild card for the Oz GP. Bit like taking a kids bag of sweets away, then giving him back his favourite one!

IF it makes you feel better thinking Monster influence the choice of wild cards go ahead. But they don't. Ward isn't the bee all and end all for them, Who is to say whether they will continue with his sponsorship anyway should he get a lengthy ban.

 

Hancock, Holder and Woffinden doing a pretty good job for them. And plenty of other riders around should they want another string to their bow.

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I think a fair punishment would be a 1 year ban from all speedway and an additional 12 months from national team events (national champs, GP, GP qualifiers, SWC and etc).

After all that was the punishment for Dudek so Ward shouldn't be treated any differently, especially since Ward was very well aware of what he was drinking

while Dudek (atleast in theory) might have gotten the illegal substance into his system without intent.

Maybe Dudek's punishment wouldn't have been so much if he hadn't ridden whilst 'under the influence'?!

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The point is if he gets away without a ban. Which he desrves at least a straight 12 months. Then will Monster and his other major sponsers want anything to do with him.

It is not a very good advert for your product, having a rider that is an out an out idiot as one of your top flight of riders.

The longer he is out of speedway, which I think he has lost some of the gloss that he used to have, he just seemed to be losing it that last few month before he was suspended, people will soon forget him.

Shame because he is a rider that has a great deal of talent that he is just letting go to waste.

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The point is if he gets away without a ban. Which he desrves at least a straight 12 months. Then will Monster and his other major sponsers want anything to do with him.

That question has already been answered as he was part of their crew at the TorunSGP this weekend. They're clearly standing by him.

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Of course Monster will have an influence! Do you really expect anyone to think differently? Monster are headline sponsor, they'll want as much exposure as they can get for their money, which will including as many of their riders as they can get into the series. Wasn't Monster Joe out with Ward the night before his failed breath test? Could it be he feels a little responsible for encouraging, or not stopping Ward getting leathered the night before the GP?

 

If Ward isn't banned, you can almost guarantee he'll get a wild card for 2015.

 

 

Think it would be a very rare case if major sponsors didn't have a lot of influence.Not only do we have the word of a meeting sponsor who posted that he could have his choice of wildcard,but we also have many many cases of influence by sponsors in football.I know for instance Millwall supporters were upset when the club was sponsored by Lewisham Copuncil and a Council member was given a place on the board.The fans said they should also have a place considering the money they spend,but no chance.Also over the past few weeks we have had problems here in Hamburg with the main football club.They have a rich supporter who gives them millions,he has no official position within the club,but has for instance coughed up for the signing of Van der Vaart.Now one or two officials have recently left on bad terms and are blaming their problems partly/largely on this outside "sponsor" who made things difficult for them within the club and often spilt stories to the press

I'

d say it would be quite unique and not a bit crazy if Monster didn't use their position to get what they wanted.There have been stories before that had some substance to them according to people within the sport.NKI some years back getting a WC because of his Dansk Metal sponsorship and Pepe because of his sponsorship are two that come to mind.This is a financial venture as well as a sporting one and even Phil will sometimes tell us that you cannot ignore the financial side of things.......

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Think it would be a very rare case if major sponsors didn't have a lot of influence.Not only do we have the word of a meeting sponsor who posted that he could have his choice of wildcard,but we also have many many cases of influence by sponsors in football.I know for instance Millwall supporters were upset when the club was sponsored by Lewisham Copuncil and a Council member was given a place on the board.The fans said they should also have a place considering the money they spend,but no chance.Also over the past few weeks we have had problems here in Hamburg with the main football club.They have a rich supporter who gives them millions,he has no official position within the club,but has for instance coughed up for the signing of Van der Vaart.Now one or two officials have recently left on bad terms and are blaming their problems partly/largely on this outside "sponsor" who made things difficult for them within the club and often spilt stories to the press

I'

d say it would be quite unique and not a bit crazy if Monster didn't use their position to get what they wanted.There have been stories before that had some substance to them according to people within the sport.NKI some years back getting a WC because of his Dansk Metal sponsorship and Pepe because of his sponsorship are two that come to mind.This is a financial venture as well as a sporting one and even Phil will sometimes tell us that you cannot ignore the financial side of things.......

IF Ward isn't banned and available I am sure he would get a wild card whether he is a Monster rider or not...

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Didn't say it makes anything better - its simply a different offence which would/should get a different punishment.

 

From a rule/legal point of view Darcy was riding under the influence. I agree that it is different though since Darcy consumed the illegal substances on purpose while

Dudek (in theory) could have consumed the illegal substances by mistake, so yes the punishment should be different (=stronger).

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From a rule/legal point of view Darcy was riding under the influence. I agree that it is different though since Darcy consumed the illegal substances on purpose while

Dudek (in theory) could have consumed the illegal substances by mistake, so yes the punishment should be different (=stronger).

But he wasn't riding under the influence, because he didn't ride and he didn't put any other rider at risk, because the test was carried out beforehand!! Alcohol is not an illegal substance!!

 

Not trying to defend Ward (see my signature) just to suggest that the punishment is appropriate based on facts rather than opinion!!

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Darcy would know that riding with a certain amount of alcohol in his body would incur a penalty if found out.

The logical thing to do is not drink within a certain time period before a meeting.

Obviously he had drunk alcohol the night before (hes admitted that), and (thankfully) he was tested and tested positive. More fool for him not using his brain and abstain from drinking.

He will have known what the penalties are, now he has to pay the price. You reap what you sow.

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But he wasn't riding under the influence, because he didn't ride and he didn't put any other rider at risk, because the test was carried out beforehand!! Alcohol is not an illegal substance!!

 

Not trying to defend Ward (see my signature) just to suggest that the punishment is appropriate based on facts rather than opinion!!

 

You miss the point. From the rule/legal point of view Darcy was riding under the influence from the moment that he arrived at the track.

Regardless if he was standing in the pit area or out on the track on a bike, he was considered being under the influence of alcohol

in conjunction with a meeting.

 

Alcohol (ethanol) is prohibited In-Competition only, in the following sports. Detection will be conducted by analysis of breath and/or blood. The doping violation threshold is

equivalent to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.10 g/L. http://list.wada-ama.org/prohibited-in-particular-sports/prohibited-substances/

 

The competition starts when Darcy arrives at the track and ends when he leaves the track. So from the moment that he arrived at the track,

he was considered being under the influence of alcohol "In competition" and thus should receive a punishment for that.

Edited by Ghostwalker
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The logical thing to do is not drink within a certain time period before a meeting.

Logic and common sense are not things you can associate with Darcy Ward. I noticed over the weekend when browsing the after GP twitter reactions Ward retweeted somebody else's tweet which was being critical of Nicki. I don't call that professional.

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Logic and common sense are not things you can associate with Darcy Ward. I noticed over the weekend when browsing the after GP twitter reactions

Ward retweeted somebody else's tweet which was being critical of Nicki. I don't call that professional.

 

It's not the first time Darcy does that. He have done it on several occasions.

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