ACU Publishes UK Bikesport Recovery Plan.

The ACU, the national governing body for motorcycle sport in England, Scotland and Wales, has published a comprehensive operational plan outlining how it intends to resume racing in 2020.

As with all sport in the UK, motorcycle racing is currently suspended until government rulings deem it is safe to go ahead.

The ACU’s plan is split into three phases; Response, Resumption and Recovery.

The Response phase details several areas that will be addressed before racing resumes. These include limiting the number of competitors allowed on site at any one time, holding races without spectators and utilising technology to minimise unnecessary physical interaction with officials on the day.

Included within the measures is a strict limit on the number of support personnel per bike which will be restricted on a 2:1 basis. Competitors under the age 16 will be allowed to attend with a third person.

Phase 2, or the Resumption phase, outlines several steps that the ACU will be taking to enable racing to take place within a safe environment. These measures include a rigorous emphasis on social distancing and hygiene as well as the restructuring of certain events to remove the risk of over-crowding. The organisation believes that racing this year will commence at a local level before building up to a national level.

The ACU has warned, however, that the majority of competitions held in the summer season will not be able to be rescheduled or completed in 2020.

Mindful of the impact that the cessation of, and restriction on, racing activities will have on riders career development, the ACU has stated that ‘it remains committed to taking a flexible approach to ensure that opportunities are provided for all riders, at all levels, between the resumption of competition and the end of the year’.

The Recovery phase stresses that the sport will take time to recover, with serious financial implications for all clubs, organisers, coaches and officials. The ACU intends to assess all its costs and operational overheads to ensure it remains efficient and effective.