Spirit of Qatar team throws toys out of pram
Most of us have probably seen the powerboat racing in the Corniche, and noticed the two 'Spirit of Qatar' boats.
Well they've now pulled out of the remaining four races of the season;
Qatar 95 and Qatar 96, the twin boats representing Spirit of Qatar Team at the 2009 UIM WPPA Class 1 Powerboat Championship will not be taking any further part in the remaining four races of the championship.
A decision to pull out of the championship was announced by Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF) President Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al Thani at a press conference yesterday.
They cite the behaviour of 'Victory Team', from Dubai, as their reason for pulling out, as well as the resultant action of the governing bodies;
Sheikh Hassan attributed the reasons for the pulling out midway into the championship “to WPPA not following the rule books and over looking potentially life-threatening misconduct of Victory Team from Dubai, which weakened the Spirit of Qatar team.”
“The decision for pulling the team out of the 2009 Championship was not based on the bad start in the Norwegian Grand Prix. The decision was made because Victory team had been consistently breaking the rules and not respecting the comments made during the drivers briefing,” said Sheikh Hassan.
And in case there are any cynics amongst you;
He also made it clear that the pull out was in no way connected to the lack of good results for the team this season.
It could be that they have a valid complaint about Team Victory and the governing bodies of the sport, but I really don't think chosen the best course of action to make their point. It makes them look somewhat petty and is only going to be detrimental to all involved and the sport in general.
Source: The Peninsula
I think greeker's piece was enlightening... but i agree with tallg... pulling out of the tournament is not the answer
bit like what inzamam did in that infamous test match... made a fool of himself and the Pakistani team
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
gadarene said I'm no powerboat expert but ...
I'm no powerboat expert but i know for a fact that big gulf arab egos played a significant part in this descision...Qatar obviously isn't happy that the WPPA presidency is with a UAE national while the Qatar team is the biggest in terms of investment...it's called the nouveau riche syndrome...
I wonder where you get your "facts" from sir, divination perhaps? If so, what is your preferred method? Runes? Tarot? Kidney beans?
http://www.seabreeze.com.au/News/Power%20Boats/Class-1-Offshore-Powerboat-Racing-in-disarray_2858208.aspx
And it appears Class 1 is becoming Victory Cup. That's what happens when you behave like the neighborhood brat with the sandpit. My shovels, my pots, my rules. Someone builds a better castle than me, I step on it. LAME.
Not like Class 1 was ever some kind of populist sport, but 3 boats in a race is a shambles.
I want to learn to drive those things!!!
Fantastic! Doha versus Dubai - It's handbags at dawn! (admittedly it will be Swarovski crystal encrusted Gucci handmade handbags, but handbags nevertheless...)
defo Toys out of the Pram.
Whether Team Victory are getting away with things or not, withdrawing isn't the answer.
I don't think international federations are necessarily beholden to Emirati Sheikhs. Earlier this month Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid from Dubai was banned for 6 months by the International Equestrian Federation, and his wife is the Federation President.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/equestrianism/5967896/Sheikh-Mohammed-bin-Rashid-Al-Maktoum-handed-six-month-endurance-race-ban.html
This just sounds like a dummy spit to me, but I don't follow the sport.
I'm no powerboat expert but i know for a fact that big gulf arab egos played a significant part in this descision...Qatar obviously isn't happy that the WPPA presidency is with a UAE national while the Qatar team is the biggest in terms of investment...it's called the nouveau riche syndrome...if my memoery serves me right,Dubai's victory team has been around for over a decade & a half now wheras Qatar's team has come into the scene yesterday in comparison...no i'm definitely not saying victory get preferential treatment 'cos they've been around longer or the presidency is with them,but i'm pretty sure if this dispute was with a non-gulf arab team,Qatar team's action wouldn't be as drastic as pulling out...probably a press conference in protest @ best...also Qatar,be it the powerboat team or anything else in general seem to think they can come into the scene in any arena & take over just on the basis of their buying power...doesn't really work that way in all arenas fortunately...there is no substitute for time & experience in the field,something,with all due respect to Sh. Hassan,that Victory team has & 'Spirit of Qatar' doesn't yet...
http://www.class-1.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=799
Following post-race investigation by WPPA race officials, Fazza's Arif Al Zafeen and Nadir Bin Hendi have been issued with a yellow card for an infringement during the start of last weekend's BMW Norwegian Grand Prix.
Evaluating reports and television footage, WPPA race director Rory Power found that the crew of Fazza left insufficient space or clearance for other boats either in the vicinity or being overtaken, and did in fact drive in a manner not permitted within the rules during the start run area to the first turn, issuing a yellow card and penalty long lap for the infringements.
In the case of a long lap penalty being applied post-race, the boats slowest long lap time replaces the time of its first race lap with the time difference added to the overall finishing time, in this instance resulting in a penalty time of 15.22seconds being added to the overall race time of Fazza.
The final finishing order, subject to post-race dyno tests, is unchanged. Victory Team has five days to protest the decision.
(Sorry for copy-pasting, but I really am in a hurry and need to get out of here, now. I will come back and clarify any other doubts later).
Britexpat: I don't think it's gonna happen. Too much power on a few people's hands.
Thanks for the update..
I wonder if there is a "neutral" body like the Court of Arvitration that F1 uses to resolve such disputes..
i'm not trying to be the devil advocate.
but was the qatar team 1 lap behind? because in this case he should give way to the leader.
i didn't see the race, nor know the circumstances of the accident/violation. but i read the news a week ago, and found the reaction a little bit exagerated.
I attended the Press conference yetserday and I support Qatar's actions.
Dubai's Victory team does get preferential treatment. This is mainly because WPPA President Saeed Hareb is from the UAE. It's clearly visible from the way they are treated. I watched the said competition in Norway on TV.
The race was through a narrow fjord and the Victory team 'Fazza' did do a dangerous blocking which could have resulted in a pile-up or even casualties. And they were let off with just a yellow card and a 2,500 Euro fine. Had it been any other team, they would have been instantly disqualified.
Qatar is the biggest team in the competition in terms of investment. It is only fair that they say everybody be treated on equal terms. One cannot have two rules for two boats. Sheikh Hassan cited instances of the abuse of power. My report will be published only tomorrow and will not be available on the internet until then. But if you will, chek GT or Peninsula, they have carried the news in detail.
While I don't necessarily agree that withdrawal would help anybody, I firmly believe that there comes a time when you have to stand up and take a stand. They did. I support them in it.
Just my take.
Team Victory are the Micheal Schumacher and Ayrton Senna of powerboat racing..
I agree that perhaps it would have been better to wait till the end of the season and then lodge a formal complaint with the threat of non participation next year..