7:00am Saturday 2nd August 2008
By Phil Chard
BJARNE Pedersen has applauded the FIM's decision this week to officially withdraw controversial referee Marek Wojaczek from the Latvian Grand Prix later this month.
The Pirates' star "doesn't really care" that it's believed the ban has been handed out because the Polish official failed to exclude Nicki Pedersen for touching the tapes in heat one of the British GP in June.
Bjarne's "just happy" Wojaczek has been removed from the Daugavpils meeting on August 30, whether or not it was for inexplicably excluding the Dane and Leigh Adams in replica first bend incidents in which Nicki fell after hitting both riders from the back.
Poole Castle Cover's captain, who publicly called for Wojaczek's head after his exclusion cost him a great chance of winning the British GP, said: "I'm not wasting any more energy thinking about this.
"I'm just happy he's been taken out.
"From my point, it (the Cardiff incident) is finished. I just want to move on."
Speedway Star, an influential weekly magazine with reporters close to the GP organisers' ear, reported "a number of other riders have privately complained to the FIM about Wojaczek's ability to deal with high-pressure SGP meetings.
"But he has not been dropped from the international panel of referees and may well officiate at the top level again."
Asked what he thought about Wojaczek's ban not being permanent, Bjarne said: "If he's brought back later this season, I hope he's learnt from the mistakes he made.
"Everyone makes mistakes. I make mistakes, but if he comes back I hope he doesn't make the same ones again."
Despite losing out on a possible extra nine points because of Wojaczek's dubious semi-final decision at Cardiff, Bjarne hopes he can still bridge a 16-point gap to salvage a top eight overall place and extend his Grand Prix status.
Pirates' skipper is 13th with 25 points - behind Fredrik Lindgren in eighth with 41 - and has six rounds to secure automatic re-qualification for next year's series.
Bjarne, who lines up in the Czech Republic GP tonight (6pm), said: "I have a goal I'm aiming for in Prague but I won't tell anyone what it is.
"I feel confident and fast on the Swedish and Polish tracks and have just won the World Cup with Denmark so my confidence is high.
"Hopefully I can get a few points closer to the top eight," continued Bjarne, who has asked for two referees to officiate each GP from 2009.
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