Sport – There are many threats to French motorcycle sport –

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There are many threats to French motorcycle sport

Sport - There are many threats to French motorcycle sport -

On the occasion of the annual review of the French Motorcycling Federation (FFM), its president Jean-Pierre Mougin drew up a rather satisfactory picture of French motorcycle sport, even if "many threats weigh on the future of our activities".

With a 5% increase in the number of licensees (62,000 in total) and sports results "pretty good but could have been better", 2005 will have finally been"a good year"said Jean-Pierre Mougin, President of the French Motorcycling Federation (FFM), who also confirmed his candidacy for the post of President of the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM).

Thanks to the victories of Sebastien Charpentier in Mondial Supersport (read our), Boris Chambon in Supermotard and the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (SERT) in world endurance, the French drivers won three world championship titles (against five in 2004), to which we must add a title in the European Motocross Championship with Jeremy Tarroux, member of the French Motocross Espoir Team.

"These few titles, however, hide significant potential in high level disciplines (motocross, speed, enduro and trial)", specifies Jean-Pierre Mougin,"with many places of honor in the World and in Europe, and in particular the performances of several women and French pilots in the Youth category".

For the president of the FFM, "all this is the result of federal channels that are now perfectly structured and increasingly efficient", even if "unfortunately, many threats weigh on the future of our activities: land is closing, bans on the use of paths or natural spaces are popping up everywhere, clubs are shutting down their activities".

Thus the Olin circular on the restriction of motorized green leisure activities (read) constitutes "a real threat to our off-road activities", estimates the president of the FFM:"we must all mobilize to protect our activities, whether they are competitive, leisure or simply travel, because it is the entire market that would be penalized".

Another painful subject: the return of the Superbike category, which is much more expensive, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and at the Bol d’Or, on the occasion of their reintegration into the world endurance championship (read). "Our position was very clear", recalls Dominique Meliand, boss of SERT:"we wanted the blockbuster category and there we are very, very disappointed !"

The Blockbuster category is therefore set to disappear: "there will be four or five bikes in Superbike and all the rest in Supersport"warns Christophe Guyot, boss of GMT 94…

"It is true that it will be a little unbalanced but it is a compromise", recognizes Jean-Pierre Mougin, optimist:"2006 will prove that this is not viable, and Flamini (the promoter of the championship, Editor’s note) will realize it"… Case to be continued !

In the meantime, French motorcycle sport still suffers from a lack of involvement of sponsors – felt at the highest level since the Evin law against tobacco – but also from a lack of public interest: "how to talk about French motorcycle sport without support, how to fight against the big press supported by the manufacturers, how to survive ?", asked in particular, visibly worried, one of the officials of Tours Account, a magazine devoted exclusively to the news of motorcycle sport in France…

We hope that initiatives like those of Christophe Guyot to revitalize the French Open Championship (read), which will continue and increase in 2006, will help bring the public back to the circuit. !

Eric MICHEL

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