Emil Sayfutdinov did not finish last season because of an injury suffered in an accident on the track in Torun. The Russian missed two rounds of the SEC, although he was leading the series. In a very honest post-season interview on his official emilracing.com website, he speaks honestly about all current matters relating to him. Interestingly Sayfutdinov is strongly considering withdrawing from the World Championship series.
Emil Sayfutdinov honestly about…
…BSI’s lack of interest in his health
"I am disappointed that some of the people responsible for Czestochowa never called, or sent me a text. The same can be said about people from BSI. They worry about riders not competing in the European Championships, but they don’t care about the health of the riders in their series"
... changing club in Poland
"It's no secret that Czestochowa owe me a lot of money. For speedway to be able to continue and to not let the fans suffer, we reached an agreement about paying back the debt and extended the contract. However, it is a record that I can go for one zloty. However, the final decision isn’t until after November 17".
... banning SGP riders racing in the SEC
"I believe that the two series can exist side by side. I see no problems. Individual championships are broadcast on Eurosport, which is widely available in my country. Speedway in Russia is struggling with financial problems and large television broadcasts can improve this situation. The stadiums in Russia are filled up with fans. I found this out when I rode last season for free in my birthplace, Salavat.
... possibly withdrawing from the SGP
"I don’t know at all whether I will take part in the GP. Riding in the elite does not come cheap, and there is no profit. I'm at the stage of putting together a budget, which so far was based on local Polish companies, for which I am very grateful. Lacking, however, is support from Russia. Western speedway riders, when winning a medal, sign lucrative contracts, and I don’t even have a contract with a club in Russia. I won four world championship medals, and nothing. Whether another medal will improve my situation in Russia, I don’t know. So far there was no response. I seriously consider withdrawing from the Grand Prix, because to compete at the top, you need to invest heavily. Without money there is no point doing it. I'm only interested in fighting for the top prize, rather than being a midfield rider. And to top it off, there is now a rule stopping me from competing in both SGP and SEC, I don’t understand".
