Hampel handed ban

Pole ruled out of play-off clash

Last updated: 26th September 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Hampel handed ban

Hampel: Ruled out Fotospeedway.pl

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Jarek Hampel has been handed a riding ban which is set to end his Elite League season.

The Ipswich Witches star missed Thursday's double-header with Poole and Coventry - as he was needed in Poland to ride for his club Leszno.

There is no agreement in place between the Polish and English authorities, which means Ipswich would not have automatically qualified for a guest to ride on Thursday.

Therefore to get a guest, Hampel had to be officially reported and has now been banned for 28-days - even though Ipswich do not want this and the rider himself is free to ride from now.

It means that Hampel will miss Monday's semi-final play-off clash at Poole and this decision has dismayed promoter John Louis.

"I personally think it is wrong," Louis told the Evening News.

"We are all supposed to care about our sport and yet on Monday in the semi-finals, Jarek is available for us to race, but is not allowed to. And why?

"What choice did he have? He didn't cause the rain-off last week at Czestochowa and it wasn't his fault it was re-arranged for last night. And yet he is banned for missing a meeting with us.

"In Poland he would have had his licence taken away if he hadn't ridden for Leszno.

"It's hardly good for the sport.

"Special dispensation should have been given to us because Jarek would happily have ridden here if there was no clash."

Ipswich now have to find a guest for Monday at Wimborne Road although there are a number of options available to the Suffolk outfit.

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