I have sent the following message to BBC News online
I find the article that the BBC has written about the Isle of Man TT 2006 absolutely deplorable. It is stated that the organisers have dropped "a danger race because of the high fatality rate"
That is not what the announcement said,
The official statement was clear:
"There were two Supersport races at TT 2005, and whilst the racing was close and exciting, the organisers have to recognise that "there was a high mechanical mortality rate" in the second race. The prize fund from this race will be reinvested into the overall start and prize money fund."
I cannot accept that this was a mistake even the most junior typist can read the difference between the statement and the BBC's contentious and biased report. I am directly responsible for the setting up of a safety charity which will help to raise the safety standards in the Isle of Man in particular, and motorcycle Road Racing in general, throughout the UK; and I am disgusted at what I am certain, in my own mind, is a yet another deliberate attempt smear the TT races.
That was a rotten article the BBC put together. There was no need to do that and there is no excuse either. It couldn't have been a mistake. But for as long as the TT has ran and will run in the future, it will be an easy target for journalists who have an agenda against the event or who are just looking for a juicy story based around danger.
There is nothing any of you or I can do to stop this apart from doing everything we can to make sure that the event is as safe and successful as it possibly can be, something I know is already very well in hand.
I believe there was a similar "misinterpretation" in Ireland, which has been challenged.
Why didn't the ACU just say "breakdowns" instead of using rubbish jargon "mechanical mortality". What a stupid thing to say.
Kev Collier who is the RaceGuard treasurer/trustee and Admin on FlyingSparks also emailed the Beeb " he got a reply, I sent two messages and I haven't had one.