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Belfast Live
Sport
Gareth Fullerton

MCUI Ulster Centre say it is 'still too early' to make call on season

The Motorcycle Union of Ireland's Ulster Centre says it will continue monitoring the ongoing coronavirus situation before making a call on the remainder of the season.

All Irish road races this year have been officially cancelled apart from the Tandragee 100 and Cookstown 100.

The Tandragee 100 has been postponed until further notice, while it was announced this week that the Cookstown 100 has been rescheduled for September.

Plans to run the Cookstown 100 later this year have been heavily criticised by Motorcycling Ireland - the southern branch of the MCUI - who last week said they were "alarmed and annoyed" by the promotion of race events amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In response, Cookstown and District Motorcycle Club chairman John Dillon said the club remains committed to organising the event in the "safest way under instructions of relevant authorities".

And in a further statement released on Tuesday night, the MCUI's Ulster Centre said it is "still too early" to make any decision on all events.

The Centre said it had received the framework published by Sport NI and was reviewing the 24 page document for "guidance and compliance".

The statement added: "As guidance and restrictions continue to change, it is still too early to make any decision on all events and we will continue to develop our operational plan to resume if possible whilst continuing to review and communicate with the various relevant authorities in the coming months.

"If any events were to go ahead it would only be with the support and agreement with our Government, Local Councils, PSNI, Insurance and the wonderful NHS.

"Within the sport, we also need the agreement of the dedicated medical teams and first aiders, timekeepers, scrutineering, marshals, flag marshals and all the fantastic people it takes to run a race, not forgetting the people we're actually all here for, the competitors and the race fans.

"If it turns out that that's not possible this year then at least the operational plan will have been developed so we're a step closer to running next year."

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