Sport comes first

Organisers of the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix can take heart from the staging of the latest round of the MotoGP at the Motegi Circuit in Japan. While there may only appear to be fleeting similarities on the surface, dig a little deeper and there are a few more synergies from which Bahrain can raise hope for the staging of its next F1 event.

The Japanese MotoGP has had some bad luck in recent years.  The April 2010 event had to be postponed when riders and teams were unable to travel due to the eruption of the Icelandic volcano.

However this year, back in July, leading riders Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo categorically stated, despite riding for Japanese manufacturers Honda and Yamaha, that they would not be riding in the Japanese GP.

Ironically, this was despite having ridden with flags carrying the slogan ‘We love you Japan’.
 
This refusal to race will resonate throughout Bahrain after certain F1 drivers refused to race at the home of motorsport in the Middle East.

Yet in MotoGP this circuit carries special significance.  Motegi is effectively the home race for three of the four main manufacturers – and the tyre supplier, Bridgestone – making the petition signed by the riders earlier in the season all the more remarkable. The only name missing from the written request to boycott the Japanese leg of the competition was home rider Hiroshi Aoyama.

Following the devastating earthquake, resulting tsunami and subsequent radiation leak from the nuclear plant at Fukushima, which is only 100km from the circuit, the race was only allowed to continue after independent experts had assessed there was no risk. 

The race was originally scheduled for April although, following the natural disasters that struck the area in March, the race was postponed until this last weekend.

The economic impact of the earthquake was far reaching.  While the track had minimal damage the surrounding area lost many of its facilities.  In fact in one badly affected area, team HRC’s Japanese test rider, Shinici Ito, had one of the few homes left with electricity following his decision to install solar panels. He fed and sheltered many of his neighbours.

The organisers always stated that the race would go on, deferring the proposed riders strike to the teams themselves.  With time – and an independent risk assessment – the teams found the solution that forced the riders to participate.

This is where Bahrain can take heart. MotoGP has shown that the sport is bigger than the riders themselves and that, despite beliefs to the contrary, sport can help heal.

The race itself was won by Dani Pedrosa ahead of Jorge Lorenzo and Championship leader, Casey Stoner.

Pedrosa, having crashed at this circuit last year, was one of the few to ride consistently throughout. Stoner recovered well from a serious wobble at the 5th turn where he ran wide into the gravel to finish on the podium.

Lorenzo, trying to close the points gap to Stoner, will be disappointed not to have taken a bigger bite out of his lead, although can take satisfaction from preventing Stoner from taking the title in front of his own fans at the Australian GP.

When will they learn? Politics and sport do not mix. Governing bodies in sports throughout the world recognise this and specifically have rules in place to prevent any external influence.  It seems that politicians occasionally forget which rules are put in place.

It’s rare to therefore find politicians trying to do the right thing and save a sport from defeating itself. Where is this happening? India. Yes, really!

On the field, Indian hockey has seen a massive resurgence, resulting in recent success at the Asian Champions Trophy, pleasing all its followers by defeating arch-rivals, Pakistan.  The appointment of Australian, Michael Nobbs, has brought resolution to the defence and a strategic plan to the attack.  However, off the field, they are in a mess.

Fighting perceived internal corruption within the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), the Indian Government encouraged the establishment of a new governing body, Hockey India (HI). Indeed, the International Hockey Federation (FIH), only formally recognises Hockey India. However, in order to try to appease all powers within the game, HI and IHF are attempting to reach a broad agreement to jointly run the sport.

However, the FIH, fighting to receive payment for India’s hosting of the World Cup in 2010, has stated that this agreement will not be recognised internationally. Furthermore, they have warned that it could even jeopardise India’s involvement in FIH-sanctioned events – including the London Olympics in 2012.