Open Letter Safty Danger UCI SC Tracks

Autor: Administrator (marek.psenicka@centrum.cz), Téma: UCI BMX Supercross
Vydáno dne 21. 07. 2011 (2527 přečtení)




Dear Mrs. Bolansée , dear Mr. McQuaid,

Dear BMX Commission ( please forward to Mr. Abe Schneider , Bas de Bever, Mike King, German Medina, Roger Rinderknecht )

Ladies and gentleman ( please forward to BMX responsible )

Please find enclosed open letter and fotos about the possible safety and health danger at UCI BMX Supercross races.

Kind regards
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Francisco J. Bähr
CEO


Dear Ladies and Gentlemen

As team owner of a BMX-Racing Team with 18 riders, I feel I have a responsibility towards the health and safety of my riders as sportspeople. With this in mind, I am writing this as an open letter, that it is in my opinion become a situation whereby the organizers have taken the “Extreme Show” effect too far and are not considering the health and safety of the riders and professional sportsmen and women. At the Supercross event in Papendal, we overstepped the boundaries, and we need to take heed of this so as not to do the same again.

In Papendal we saw the use of a “metal” box as an obstacle on the course which, in no uncertain terms, does not belong on a BMX track. If you have a look at the photographs (attached) of the rim of three of our riders who misjudged the metal box jump, one only shudders to think what it would do to the human body if a rider was to make contact with the sharp edge. Secondly, the demands of the track exceed the technological advancements of BMX bike building. Many teams also broke frames, forks and handlebars due to the extreme demands on the equipment. Many teams and manufacturers have begun considering to develop SX specific frames, however proper research and development could take up to a year.

It should not be the case that the company GSX put spectaculism and profitability before the health and safety of the riders. I also think for the sport of BMX itself, the sponsors, and the Olympics that it is not good for marketing and advertising of the sport, if this track style results in serious life threatening injury or death to a rider. The pressure on the national federations globally, and therefore the riders to earn points for Olympic qualification via the SX events is so high that it forces participation of the riders who then ride in fear.

In summary, can we sit back and accept responsibility for what may happen in the future or do we take preventative action ( London ) in order to save our wonderful sport and maintain good fair sportsmanship and competition.

Kind regards