RIDERS ARE 'PRO-TT'
01 December 2003

TWO TT riders who have been critical about the event following the death of David Jefferies insist they are 'pro-TT'.

Eight-times TT winner Jim Moodie and John McGuinness, a three-times winner, were guests at an event to discuss the future of the TT on Saturday night.

It was hosted by Allan Robinson, former treasurer and secretary of the TT Riders' Association, whose publicity for the event had caused controversy.

Mr Robinson had claimed no one from the Island or the Auto-Cycle Union had booked a seat for the event at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu but Tourism and Leisure Minister David Cretney said no one had been invited.

Both riders said they are glad they went to it.

Mr Moodie said: 'I thought it went very well.'

He said they were asked how the event could be improved and the future of it.

The event has had plenty of negative publicity following the death of nine-times TT winner David Jefferies in a practice crash at this year's TT.

Scrutineering, organisation and marshalling have all come under the spotlight.

Talking about the forum being 'one-sided,' Mr Moodie, who was caught up in the aftermath of Jefferies' accident, said it was because 'we are all pro-TT'.

Although he has now retired from the event he said he will be in the Island for it next year and stressed neither he, Mr McGuinness, nor Tony Jefferies, David's dad who was also supposed to be on the panel but couldn't make it, were 'anti-TT'.

Mr Jefferies had recently made comments criticising the standard of marshalling.

In the statement announcing his retirement from the TT earlier this year, Mr Moodie said this year's event had thrown up 'more questions and doubts, on safety, marshalling and officiating'.

He had been caught round the neck by wires from a telegraph pole knocked down by the impact of the Jefferies crash.

The inquest into Jefferies' death heard Mr Moodie appeared 'to ignore the warnings' and 'he may have been the author of his own misfortune'.

Mr McGuinness, one of David Jefferies' best friends, said he loves riding round the course and will be coming back.

At the inquest in August Mr McGuinness said the practice session in which David was killed should have been stopped and the track thoroughly checked for oil immediately after another competitor's bike exploded.

He also said the marshals should have had an oil flag.

Organisers have undergone consultation with riders, manufacturers and teams since this year's event and a statement announcing changes will be released before Christmas.