Paul Bird Banned

[Drumroll]

Looks like Paul Bird is in trouble.

http://www.ukad.org.uk/news/article/rally-driver-p...

and he had this a few years back

http://www.crash.net/wsbk/news/168830/1/crackdown-...

[fttm]

reap what you sow , doubt there'll be many bleeding hearts .

[chunder27]

Especially for a man who bithces about the times some of his quicker opponents do on events, along with some of hois other rich mates.

He has form to be honest, like Vic Lee did, yet they are welcomed with open arms into the sport.

Wonder if Palmer might show him the door in BSB. I expect not.

[Allyc85]

Not been a fan of Paul Bird for a while, but this and sending messages to Steve Perez, who does so much for rallying,to watch his back makes me dislike him even more!

[Turn7]

I appreciate the man has doubters, but Ive been doing a bit of googling....

This article give the details of the ban :

http://www.ukad.org.uk/news/article/rally-driver-p...

And claims Benzoylecgonine to be the issue....

Wiki says :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzoylecgonine

"Benzoylecgonine is used as the main pharmaceutical ingredient in the prescription drug Esterom, a topical solution used for the relief of muscle pain."

So, not cocaine then ?

[Silent1]

Turn7 said:

I appreciate the man has doubters, but Ive been doing a bit of googling....

This article give the details of the ban :

http://www.ukad.org.uk/news/article/rally-driver-p...

And claims Benzoylecgonine to be the issue....

Wiki says :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzoylecgonine

"Benzoylecgonine is used as the main pharmaceutical ingredient in the prescription drug Esterom, a topical solution used for the relief of muscle pain."

So, not cocaine then ?

Read the urinalysis section, if he had a prescription for aforementioned topical ointment then he wouldn't have been banned.

Eta. Esterom isn't available in the uk.

[John D.]

I didn't even realise he was a rally driver. Only aware of him through bike racing. Definitely something about him that seems a bit shady.

[rscott]

Turn7 said:

I appreciate the man has doubters, but Ive been doing a bit of googling....

This article give the details of the ban :

http://www.ukad.org.uk/news/article/rally-driver-p...

And claims Benzoylecgonine to be the issue....

Wiki says :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzoylecgonine

"Benzoylecgonine is used as the main pharmaceutical ingredient in the prescription drug Esterom, a topical solution used for the relief of muscle pain."

So, not cocaine then ?

It's produced by the liver as it processes cocaine and is in the system for longer than cocaine itself.
Presumably that's why they use it as an indicator for the use of cocaine.

[tapkaJohnD]

Drumroll said:

Looks like Paul Bird is in trouble.

http://www.ukad.org.uk/news/article/rally-driver-p...

and he had this a few years back

http://www.crash.net/wsbk/news/168830/1/crackdown-...

Second link refers to 8 KGs - KILOGRAMS! - of cocaine! That's not personal use, that's dealing, and worth about half a million at today's prices, twice that in those days.
Oh, well, DeLorean resorted to dealing to keep his company afloat, why not others?

John

[marshal_alan]

come on folks, motorsport can be a dirty business, the sums of money involved to race even at club level and still maintain the usual family and home etc means that not everyone is 150% honest and straight. As a marshal I dont care about what a driver does or doesnt do, if he or she crashes they get treated with respect and dignity, it is not my place to judge even if the paddock grapevine says different

[DelicaL400]

marshal_alan said:

I dont care about what a driver does or doesnt do, if he or she crashes they get treated with respect and dignity, it is not my place to judge even if the paddock grapevine says different

I don't care what they do in their private lives either. But can you imagine the Daily Mail headlines if Bird had had an accident and caused injury on the event he was tested on? Rallying has had enough bad press in the last 18 months with various safety issues, it doesn't need any more.

[tapkaJohnD]

"respect and dignity"?

Drug dealers are scum. Their couriers may be unfortunate, 'vulnerable' or just broke, but it's a dirty, dirty business.
John

[Vaud]

marshal_alan said:

come on folks, motorsport can be a dirty business, the sums of money involved to race even at club level and still maintain the usual family and home etc means that not everyone is 150% honest and straight. As a marshal I dont care about what a driver does or doesnt do, if he or she crashes they get treated with respect and dignity, it is not my place to judge even if the paddock grapevine says different

Providing they are clean... No room for drugs in sport.

[John D.]

marshal_alan said:

come on folks, motorsport can be a dirty business, the sums of money involved to race even at club level and still maintain the usual family and home etc means that not everyone is 150% honest and straight. As a marshal I dont care about what a driver does or doesnt do, if he or she crashes they get treated with respect and dignity, it is not my place to judge even if the paddock grapevine says different

You clearly have no idea of the scale of Paul Bird Motorsport. He's not some guy struggling to find his hobby (perhaps he is just on a much grander scale?! )

[Drumroll]

So marshal Alan are you saying you are not concerned that someone high on cocaine is racing? what if it was a marshal he/she hit.

Edited by Drumroll on Friday 1st January 13:08

[RONV]

he will not be winning the North West Stages again this year then

[marshal_alan]

Drumroll said:

So marshal Alan are you saying you are not concerned that someone high on cocaine is racing? what if it was a marshal he/she hit.

Edited by Drumroll on Friday 1st January 13:08

Of course I am, i was not just talking about drug dealing but organised crime in general, i wouldnt like to think that any driver would get behind the wheel while under the influence of any drugs. My point was that motorsport may well be used by organised criminals for various purposes from money laundering to guys with too much cash going racing or people involved in racing to take to organised crime in order to pay for their sport

[chunder27]

It is hardly a new phenomenon though is it?

How many times in various categories of worldwide motorsport have people come in, spent tens of thousands on cars and disappeared quickly afterwards.

It's called clever use of piles of excess money to prevent the taxman getting hold of it and it is commonplace in motorsport.

Bird and his team have been done before when he was running Kawasaki SBK team, they were done for having stuff on board a truck, this is slightly different, but he has a shady past with his ex-wife too if you do some digging and is fairly typical of that type of person. His relationships with riders have often been very difficult, as has relationship with the press and other team owners. These things do not affect every team owner do they? So mud sticks I am afraid.

Interesting to read comments about Perez, I thought the two were good friends and they have often sponsored each otehr over the years.

[Far Cough]

What will this mean for Shakey and BSB ?

[Turn7]

Far Cough said:

What will this mean for Shakey and BSB ?

Hopefully wont affect anything, but I cant see Ducati being overly impressed this early in the new relationship.

Edited by Turn7 on Saturday 2nd January 21:30