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Coventry Bees threaten Elite League walkout

 

A rain soaked Brandon Stadium
A rain soaked Brandon Stadium

Coventry Bees promoter Mick Horton is looking into the possibility of pulling the club out of the Elite League after a row following the abandoned meeting against Poole Pirates earlier this month.

Heavy rain at Brandon resulted in the meeting to be abandoned after ten heats, with Horton claiming the meeting should have been abandoned earlier and the race should be rearranged.

“As we stand at the moment we’re just very disillusioned,” he said.

“It just can’t carry on like this. It was a huge meeting against Poole, the biggest meeting of the season for Coventry Bees. Financially it was a huge loss for the club. It’s not right.

“We will fulfil our obligations for this year. We have a contract with Sky. But we’re going to review it at the end of the season,” he told BBC Coventry and Warwickshire.

After the Bee’s riders refused to race in heat ten due to the adverse weather conditions, Poole raced on to claim a 5-0, and the Bee’s are looking into an enquiry.

The club has issued the following statement:

Coventry will be providing the relevant authorities with statements of fact concerning the events of last weekend, and Monday itself, to prove that the statement issued by Go Speed International Ltd is incorrect and damaging to our club’s credibility within the sport. Evidence will be forwarded to the BSPA and the SCB.

As a club, we are so incensed by the debacle of Monday evening that we are seeking a full enquiry into the events, and we call on all parties to hold a meeting where all views can be considered when the evidence has been compiled.

We trust the SCB and BSPA to consider our requests for the meeting to be re-staged. Allowing Poole to retain the four league points gained in such unsatisfactory circumstances impacts not only Coventry, but all other Elite League colleagues who are still striving for play-off qualification.’

Coventry were seven points clear at the top of the Elite League, but following the Pirates win over Kings Lynn last Wednesday, they have regained top spot, level on points, and have raced one meeting less than the Bees.

The two clubs are the most successful sides in the league. Since its formation in 1997, Poole have won the league six times, whilst Coventry have won three, with two runners up spots and five top three finishes.

Coventry Bees Mick Horton

About Dale Ventham

Dale Ventham is an editor at The Sports Lowdown. He writes on the lower leagues of English football and Speedway in particular.
@lwosdale89

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