FIM threatens to expel the AMA

A row between two sanctioning bodies of motorcycle racing could threaten the chance to see some of the world’s top riders in action in Europe.

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), which governs all domestic racing in the U.S., is on the verge of being expelled from the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) – the Swiss-based body that regulates motorcycle racing worldwide.

The dispute centres on the lucrative AMA Supercross series. The FIM, the AMA argues, is trying to push its rules and officials into the series to bolster the much smaller European supercross series, to the detriment of the American championship.

The FIM argues it is merely trying to standardise rules throughout the championships.

AMA Pro Racing’s Scot Holingsworth said: ” What the FIM is doing is not in the best interests of American racers, teams or fans. We will not stand idly by while AMA Supercross is dismantled in this fashion ” .

If neither side backs down and the FIM does expel the AMA, there’s a possibility that the FIM could withdraw its support for American riders outside of the U.S. and pull planned U.S. rounds of World Superbikes and MotoGP from the calendar.