Door still open for Panthers & Bees

Added on Tuesday, January 18th, 2011 by Carole Nash Editor | No Comments

The British Speedway Promoters’ Association has claimed that the door is still open for Coventry Bees and Peterborough Panthers to join the Sky Sports Elite League for 2011, despite the two clubs “pulling out” of the league in a dispute over rule changes.

The two clubs were left off the entry list for the 2011 Elite League after club officials walked out of the BSPA EGM in November after failing to gain support for proposed rule changes.

With their futures unclear, the BSPA sanctioned the promotion of both Birmingham Brummies and King’s Lynn Stars from the Premier League to form an eight-team Elite League but the promoter has insisted that the door has not been closed on Coventry or Peterborough.

The two clubs, who have not revealed what their proposed rule changes were, claimed that they had come to an agreement Chairman Alex Harkess and Operations Manager Angela Price but that these were not addressed at the EGM. In a statement late last week, both clubs stated their intentions to start legal proceedings to seek a court injunction against the BSPA.

But the BSPA responded with its own statement, expressing its disappointment that the three parties had been unable to resolve their differences.

“The BSPA can confirm an offer has been made to both Coventry and Peterborough which, if accepted, would see them both resuming their membership of the Elite League with immediate effect. That offer remains open,” it read.

“The BSPA very much hopes that, even at this late stage, Coventry and Peterborough will choose to resume their membership of the Elite League; and contribute towards a successful 2011 season.

“The BSPA would like to make it clear that they would welcome both Coventry’s and Peterborough’s resumption of their membership of the Elite League in time for the 2011 season: the absence of both Coventry and Peterborough from the Elite League is their own choice.

“The BSPA regrets that Coventry and Peterborough have not been prepared to accept relatively minor improvements to the BSPA’s rules supported by the overwhelming majority of BSPA members but have chosen to maintain their threat of costly legal proceedings that can only damage the interests of the sport, its fans and riders.”

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