MATT Ford is hopeful Polish chiefs can reach an amicable agreement regarding the controversial new silencers introduced to world speedway.

The shale sport’s governing body in Poland, the PZM, has banned its country’s riders from competing with the new mufflers anywhere in the world – meaning Pirates’ Pole Rafal Dobrucki could miss tomorrow’s challenge meeting against Eastbourne at Wimborne Road.

Ford was last night waiting to hear from Dobrucki regarding his availability, while the PZM is due to hold talks tomorrow over the silencers dispute.

The Poole Castle Cover chief told the Echo: “Until the PZM makes a decision about what it is going to do about the silencers, nobody really knows what to do.

“The PZM has officially withdrawn permission for any of the Poles to ride anywhere in the world, but the knock-on effect of that is extreme as Tomasz Gollob would have to withdraw from the World Championship, plus Poland would lose their Grand Prix meetings and the World Cup.

“They are going to have to be more realistic because they are going to burn their own bridges otherwise. At the moment, they have a meeting tomorrow and that is why Rafal Dobrucki is doubtful for the meeting against Eastbourne. He wants to ride for Poole, he has assured me of that, but with the PZM threatening bans, he is between a rock and a hard place.”

Speedway’s world governing body, the FIM, sanctioned the new silencers in a bid to reduce noise from speedway bikes, with the issue the latest to test the sport’s resolve following the BSPA’s long-running dispute with Peterborough and Coventry over their places in the 2011 Elite League.

Ford added: “The FIM sanctioned the new silencers and it is the FIFA of speedway, so what it says goes. The riders have forked out a lot of money to change them and we need to crack on and test them.

“The bikes handle totally different on ‘grippy’ tracks and even on the press day at Poole the riders were lifting. That was on a track that was only 60 per cent prepared. At the moment, we’ve had one afternoon on these new silencers and we need time on them to see how they cope on our track and others.

“There’s more to come on this, I’m sure, but my belief is that these silencers will be used.”

The FIM’s deadline for implementation of the new mufflers in the Elite League is May 15.

Meanwhile, Ford has been boosted by the news Davey Watt could return to action tomorrow night.

Pirates’ captain underwent X-rays on a leg injury after pulling out of Sunday’s challenge at Eastbourne after less than one lap of his first heat.

But the Australian has revealed tests showed no broken bones and he will undergo a late fitness test prior to tomorrow’s meeting. Renat Gafurov is also expected to ride despite dislocating his shoulder at Arlington.

• Tomasz Gollob has withdrawn from Mark Loram’s farewell meeting at Wimborne Road on March 30.