CB252 Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, Grachan said: As long as they continue to block the Russians it's pretty much invalid as a World Championship as far as I'm concerned. I wonder if they should put in some sort of legal challenge against this, seeing as Russian competitors are able to tale part in other individual sports under a neutral flag. Look at tennis, for example. The recent US open had a Russian in the men's final and a Belarussian in the women's final. Even Wimbledon relented this year and allowed them back in after their points were removed from the World ranking the previous year.. I even remember a statement being made by the Russian federation a couple of years ago stating that they had banned Laguta from competing for Russia due to comments made about Putin. There is no valid reason to exclude them any more than there would have been to exclude Hancock and Loram because of the Iraq war. Tennis is a bad example where Poland is concerned though. A Russian player was immediately deported from the country when trying to enter a couple of months ago https://www.skysports.com/tennis/news/12110/12925684/vera-zvonareva-russian-player-is-barred-from-entering-poland-for-warsaw-open-tournament The only reason that they can't do the same to the speedway riders is because they have been living and working and benefitting from a way of life in Poland for many years. All whilst representing Russia on the world scene which is what makes them unpalatable to most Polish people. The ban on Russians isn't just a speedway thing. The FIM don't let them compete in other disciplines either. You know, the popular disciplines that people go and watch in large numbers. They can't just take a different line with speedway because 2 of the better riders happen to be Russian. Edited October 3, 2023 by CB252 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPNY Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 7 minutes ago, CB252 said: Tennis is a bad example where Poland is concerned though. A Russian player was immediately deported from the country when trying to enter a couple of months ago https://www.skysports.com/tennis/news/12110/12925684/vera-zvonareva-russian-player-is-barred-from-entering-poland-for-warsaw-open-tournament The only reason that they can't do the same to the speedway riders is because they have been living and working and benefitting from a way of life in Poland for many years. All whilst representing Russia on the world scene which is what makes them unpalatable to most Polish people. Spot on. The PZM will never put them forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 10 minutes ago, Fromafar said: The Gp qualifiers were very lopsided need to seed it better. Don't they just allocate spots to Federations, and they select the riders for the meetings ? I seem to remember Wölbert complaining about always being selected for long journeys, whereas other riders (Smolinski) seemed to always get selected for easier meetings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluPanther Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 1 hour ago, Grachan said: As long as they continue to block the Russians it's pretty much invalid as a World Championship as far as I'm concerned. I wonder if they should put in some sort of legal challenge against this, seeing as Russian competitors are able to tale part in other individual sports under a neutral flag. Look at tennis, for example. The recent US open had a Russian in the men's final and a Belarussian in the women's final. Even Wimbledon relented this year and allowed them back in after their points were removed from the World ranking the previous year.. I even remember a statement being made by the Russian federation a couple of years ago stating that they had banned Laguta from competing for Russia due to comments made about Putin. There is no valid reason to exclude them any more than there would have been to exclude Hancock and Loram because of the Iraq war. 100% CORRECT... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB252 Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 (edited) 39 minutes ago, BluPanther said: 100% CORRECT... Not really. In this instance you're talking about a conflict in a country that shares a direct border with Poland, which is the country that the SGP relies on, almost exclusively, to keep it afloat. I would like to have seen the Iraq GP go ahead back in the day though. Edited October 3, 2023 by CB252 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fullmax Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 Roll on Speedway GP 2024. It'll be a long winter. Hoping to do another 3 GPs next year. If we could , we'd do them all. Nothing better than a GP weekend. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazS Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 28 minutes ago, CB252 said: Not really. In this instance your talking about a conflict in a country that shares a direct border with Poland, which is the country that the SGP relies on, almost exclusively, to keep it afloat. I would like to have seen the Iraq GP go ahead back in the day though. what with all those weapons of mass destruction knocking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarBoy Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 Does anyone actually know if Emil and Artem want to do the GP series? No one seems to have any factual evidence that they actually want to be included. At the end of the day, we're all speedway fans, just be grateful there is still a world recognised championship to watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy robin Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 6 hours ago, CB252 said: So Huckenbeck and Lebedevs I guess are everyone's main issue. Can't do much about Kvech as he qualified. They want to try and cement the series in Germany and Latvia so they've given them a spot. Hard to argue that Kubera isn't worthy of a shot instead of Magic or Dudek. How did Kvech qualify? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racers and royals Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 1 minute ago, Crazy robin said: How did Kvech qualify? From the challenge final- finished 5th Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy robin Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 13 minutes ago, racers and royals said: From the challenge final- finished 5th Finishing 5th, his ridiculous!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReturn Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 Not a surprise, but not sure Woffinden deserved another wildcard. It makes a mockery of the sporting contest where you can be selected because your face fits or because of being a world champion five years ago, rather than because you earned the right to be there based off form over the last 12 months. Wildcards should only ever be reserved for riders who were on target for qualification but injury prevented. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatface Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 “Woke” !? ”Never watching it again!” Jeez, the drama queens are out in force on this one. Let’s see if they are not watching it next year and they back up their big words with action: Of course Laguta and Saifutdinov are among the best in the world. I get that. But the isolation of Russia from international sport (in many cases). I get that too. There are.bigger things than speedway. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ytsejam Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 Without any shadow of a doubt, the WORST quality GP line up EVER! Sadly sums up the state of World speedway without the Russians, might as well give Bartosz the title NOW as he's the only one with real World class in it! Some of the wild cards picks are utterly embarrassing! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JC71 Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 One thing I will say, several years ago (?2013), Tai Woffendin was given a wildcard, probably due to nationality. Cue much mirth and derision (sponsored by Audi, 0000) etc......... and look how that turned out....... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReturn Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 10 minutes ago, JC71 said: One thing I will say, several years ago (?2013), Tai Woffendin was given a wildcard, probably due to nationality. Cue much mirth and derision (sponsored by Audi, 0000) etc......... and look how that turned out....... I hope he does repeat history, but let’s be honest based on his recent form I don’t see him finishing top 6. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JC71 Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 1 minute ago, TheReturn said: I hope he does repeat history, but let’s be honest based on his recent form I don’t see him finishing top 6. Ah it was more to do with a new rider coming in, and surprising everyone. I love Tai, he got me back into watching the GPs........ I'm not convinced he should be there next season (though I'm happy he is) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OveFundinFan Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 46 minutes ago, TheReturn said: I hope he does repeat history, but let’s be honest based on his recent form I don’t see him finishing top 6. Tai was coming back on form, he was in the final at Vojens. I think he deserves to be in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatface Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 2 minutes ago, OveFundinFan said: Tai was coming back on form, he was in the final at Vojens. I think he deserves to be in. I don’t think he will win it again. But as a three time champion, he’s earned the benefit of the doubt. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r8gdp Posted October 3, 2023 Report Share Posted October 3, 2023 That’s got to be the worst gp field ever .total shambles 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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