PIRATES chief Matt Ford has re-declared his team after labelling the situation regarding Rafal Dobrucki “untenable.”

Dobrucki, a Poole Castle Cover winter signing, is one of four Poles granted permission to ride on the controversial new silencers in Britain this season – the others being Krzysztof Kasprzak, Dawid Lampart and Tomasz Piszcz.

But Dobrucki is one of the leading figures in the Polish riders’ union’s fight against the introduction of the new mufflers, which they claim are dangerous, and it has cost him his Pirates team place.

Jason Doyle effectively takes Dobrucki’s position, with injured Darcy Ward, thought to be only two weeks away from making a comeback, also in Poole’s re-declared side.

Ford, who has also named Gary Havelock as a doubling-up rider alongside Doyle in Dobrucki’s old berth, said: “The situation with Rafal has effectively become untenable.

“Whilst the guy doesn’t want to let us down he does have his views on the use of the silencers which conflict with those of the British Speedway Promoters’ Association and to be honest I could not afford to allow the matter to drift on any further.

“He cannot commit to being able to ride for us so I have made the decision to move ahead without him.

“We have restructured the side in such a way that Jason will effectively now be Rafal’s replacement, with Darcy also re-declared in our one-to-seven.

“Darcy has been having oxygen chamber therapy on his shoulder and has responded well, although he is still about a fortnight away from a return to the saddle.

“By making this change now it means he will be able to slot straight back into the side as soon as he is given the go-ahead.

“In the meantime, we will operate rider replacement for him.”

Poole’s new look team takes to the track for the first time at Birmingham tomorrow in their opening Elite League encounter of the season.

Ford said: “Hopefully it will be the only league match Darcy will miss.

“We host the Mark Loram Farewell on Wednesday and then have the two-legged Elite League Shield against Wolverhampton on April 4 away and 6 at home.

“Our next league fixture after that is not until April 13 at home to Belle Vue and we’re hopeful Darcy will be ready by then.”

Poole’s re-declared line-up: Holder (8.36), Watt (7.59), Ward (6.63), Doyle/Havelock (5.24), Gafurov (4.52), Andersson (4.00), Hefenbrock/Newman (3.23).