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Today the FIM sanctioned betting on FIM Events, so it may not be to long before you can bet on Slighty, Edwards and Haga,as a trifecta, or Criville and Barros for a quinella. Or maybe $50 bucks on Bostrom to beat Borja home, the possibilities are endless. It may not come to NZ through the TAB but it won\'t be long before it is available to those on the net.
Here is a copy of todays press release from the FIM.
\"The FIM and the Italian company SISAL S.p.A. entered into an exclusive global agreement to plan, manage and market betting on FIM World Championship events such as the 125cc, 250cc, and 500cc Grand Prix,Superbike, Motocross, Supercross, Speedway and Trial. This agreement supersedes the agreement previously signed with the company Velvet Goldmine.
\"The FIM and SISAL expect to achieve ambitious sporting and business results together through the introduction of betting on motorcycling. The FIM will develop its role as supervisor and coordinator of all international sporting activities, focussing particularly on competitions, while SISAL, with an eye towards consolidating its own core business, will bring to the venture its 50 years of experience in managing games and betting in Italy and, as of the beginning of the year, abroad. Specifically, SISAL will coordinate the development, marketing and promotion of betting in Italy and throughout the world with all the betting rights from the FIM, such as the name, trade name and logo, without any geographic limitation. The FIM now operates through its affiliated Federations in 80 countries, organized into six continental unions.
\"If the necessary ministerial authorizations are granted in time, betting on motorcycling could begin in Italy as soon as the next motorcycling World Championship, scheduled for March 2001. In the meantime, the FIM is examining the feasibility of scheduling World Championships in different motorcycling disciplines throughout the year to maximize fan appeal.
In addition, SISAL will contact every country in the world interested in introducing betting in compliance with domestic legislations, using local operators where necessary. Today SISAL has 18,000 agencies connected on-line throughout Italy; in 1999 betting turnover exceeded 7.5 trillion lire ($3.75). In Italy, SISAL manages SuperEnalotto, Totip+ and, as of April 2000, together with another operator, Formula 101, based on Formula One racing, from which SISAL collects 80% of the takings. The Match Point network of 146 sporting and horse-racing betting agencies is linked to SISAL and is the largest Italian agent for sporting bets. As of 1 January 2000, SISAL began operations in Germany, where the local horse-racing authorities authorized it to create from scratch a network of 2,500 points of sale to accept bets on horse-racing. It also recently opened an office in Buenos Aires for the purpose of establishing games and betting activities in Argentina.
FIM President Francesco Zerbi declared: \"I believe this is an extremely positive agreement for the FIM, that will contribute to a better promotion and diffusion of the motorcycling sport.\"
My two bobs worth: When big time betting gets into sport there is the possibility of corruption. Who would ever have thought cricket (a game noted for fair play) would have been tainted by scandal. How much easier to throw a bike away than to convince team mates to throw a cricket match.
I think the FIM has got this wrong - no restraints will stop the inevitable race fixing. It may not happen over night but it will happen.
