Share

Disgraced Fenati suspended for pulling rival's brake

Paris - Disgraced Italian Moto2 rider Romano Fenati, who grabbed a rival's brake lever during the San Marino Grand Prix earlier this month, had his licence suspended until the end of the year by the International Motorcycling Federation on Friday.

The 22-year-old had already said he was retiring from the sport after being sacked by his Marinelli Snipers team and the Forward Racing team he was due to join next year.

Fenati was called to the FIM headquarters in Switzerland on Tuesday.

"A new FIM licence for the 2019 season may be granted to him subject to the conditions laid down in the FIM Regulations," the sport's governing body said in a statement.

Fenati's moment of madness, when he caused Stefano Manzi to temporarily lose his balance before regaining control of his bike, caused widespread condemnation.

"The FIM representatives... reminded Mr Fenati of the profound influence high-level athletes can have on fans and young people and urged him to be mindful of his responsibility to set a positive example in future," the statement added.

Fenati, who was originally suspended for two weeks by Marinelli Snipers before being fired, had apologised to "the world of sport" the following day.

The incident happened a few laps after the two riders' bikes had touched when Manzi attempted to overtake Fenati.

"I shouldn't have responded to the provocation," Fenati said at the time. "It displayed a horrible image of me and my sport. I'm not like that, and people who know me know that."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1271 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1469 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2240 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE