Post by schumi on Aug 13, 2008 18:22:35 GMT
A few days old, but I hadn't seen this before. From The Argus:
Eastbourne Eagles captain Lee Richardson has revealed he rode under protest in his side’s 52-41 defeat at Coventry tonight.
Richardson asked for permission from the British Speedway Promoters Association to miss the meeting so he could deal with a family emergency.
However, Eagles were told they could not use rider-replacement in their skipper’s absence and he would face a ban for with-holding his services if he did not ride.
Richardson opted to race and will also be in action when Eagles host Lakeside in the Knockout Cup semi-final tomorrow night.
However he said: “I was riding under protest at Coventry. I just asked for one night off to be with my family at a difficult time and I’m fuming at their refusal to allow that.
“I got on to the ACU, who hold my licence, and they said they could not believe what the BSPA had done. I’m not breaking any rules and the ACU would not have banned me from riding anywhere else, so I could still have earned money in Poland and Sweden.”
Richardson’s father-in-law was taken into hospital suffering from a brain tumour this week and the Eastbourne rider, along with his wife Emma and their two young children, have been staying in Bracknell to be close to him.
Eastbourne Eagles captain Lee Richardson has revealed he rode under protest in his side’s 52-41 defeat at Coventry tonight.
Richardson asked for permission from the British Speedway Promoters Association to miss the meeting so he could deal with a family emergency.
However, Eagles were told they could not use rider-replacement in their skipper’s absence and he would face a ban for with-holding his services if he did not ride.
Richardson opted to race and will also be in action when Eagles host Lakeside in the Knockout Cup semi-final tomorrow night.
However he said: “I was riding under protest at Coventry. I just asked for one night off to be with my family at a difficult time and I’m fuming at their refusal to allow that.
“I got on to the ACU, who hold my licence, and they said they could not believe what the BSPA had done. I’m not breaking any rules and the ACU would not have banned me from riding anywhere else, so I could still have earned money in Poland and Sweden.”
Richardson’s father-in-law was taken into hospital suffering from a brain tumour this week and the Eastbourne rider, along with his wife Emma and their two young children, have been staying in Bracknell to be close to him.
