Open letter from Joël Smets about the problems surrounding HondaPark
The decision of the Council of State to declare the permit for the Honda Park in Olmen invalid has hit the world of motocross, but also in motorsport in general. Since then, the reactions, both from the political world and the sporting world, have been numerous and at times harsh.
Joël Smets gives his sober view on matters in an open letter that was distributed on social media with the aim of putting things in the right light.
Dear Motorsport Enthusiast,
We have not yet processed the death of motocross icon Joël Robert and we already received a new uppercut with the suspension of the permit of the Honda Park Olmen.
So we are hanging on the figurative ropes for a while, but give up? I do not think so!
I notice on social media that, just like me, you are rightly struggling with anger, frustrations, disappointment, etc.
We could kick around wildly but that won't solve anything. Many people react to politics, but that is not where the shoe pinches the most and I would like to explain that to you. Not that it will immediately take away your annoyance, but it will certainly help you to understand things and to climb out of the ropes in close order!
First of all, we must stand in front of the mirror and dare to admit that it is precisely this closed order of battle that largely lies at the origin of our current problems. The sporting successes continued to pile up throughout the last century, making collaboration and building a joint structure with a clear vision of the future seem more like drunken talk. On the contrary, division and fragmentation have been the benchmark in MX land for the last 50 years! Not everyone will agree, but unfortunately it is the reality. Point.
And that brings me to politics. Because from that angle the finger was already put on the wound 20 years ago (2002)! The then minister of sport, Marino Keulen, already strongly insisted on a closed order of battle in order to better cope with the problems that faced us, such as spatial planning and other living environments. Not to mention the large chunk of operating subsidies that were already linked to unified sports federations at the time! MX-loving Flanders thought that sounded nice and “hip hip hooray”, a patchwork of federations even signed a declaration of intent to unify that same year! Oh well, now we're off, I thought in my youthful naivety! Not so. Nothing ever came from home!! Closed battle order? My bones yes.
However, the sports ministers of subsequent governments have also consistently insisted on this closed order of battle (sorry, but I think it is a nice term that evokes combativeness and we can use that)! But no, the water remained too deep for MX in Flanders where no one felt like swimming to the other side....
Interim conclusion: if you don't organize your own internal MX kitchen, should you shoot at the politicians afterwards? I do not think so!! Once again not everyone will agree, but unfortunately it is reality again. Point bis.
So much for the “bad news show”
Because yes, yes, I thought it would never happen again, but something is moving in the MX environment!! Since the successes of the last century apparently cannot simply be 'copy-pasted', it is gradually dawning in MX land that 'unity is power' may not be such an empty slogan from a bygone era after all! After all, there is actually some collaboration here and there!
Then politicians (yes!!) put their words into action and Motorsport Vlaanderen (former VMBB) promptly paid out the promised operating subsidies! It's a matter of not becoming more depressed than we already are, so I don't add up the financial resources that motorsport has missed out on since 2002. But I do know that it is an amount with 6 (six) zeros!! …. and not in Belgian francs but hard European Dollars!! You can now take a Cleenex and collectively cry your eyes out! By the way, that subsidy check was signed by, yes, the Minister of Sports Ben Weyts. Can I therefore ask you not to aim all your arrows at him, please?
That is not the only (financial) effort that politicians make for our sport! Top sport is obviously close to my heart. That's why I founded Motorsport Future in 2010. A non-profit organization that has been guiding promising Flemish cross riders for more than a decade. The politicians, who according to many of you only like football and cycling, were interested in this and so they have been paying out thousands of euros in operating subsidies to Motorsport Future every year since day 1 until now! Interesting fact: the first sports minister to give his approval was... Bert Anciaux!! Admit it, you didn't see that coming. Ministers Philippe Muyters and Ben Weyts then followed Bert's good example! In concrete terms, when Jago Geerts went to the university in Leuven (Bakala Academy) for his fitness tests in recent years, that invoice was paid indirectly by the minister. Another example: Jago is coached at the GPs by Steve Ramon Ramon, trainer of Topsport Motorsport Vlaanderen. Well, Steve's plane ticket and hotel are paid for by... right, the minister!
May I therefore ask you not to aim all your arrows at him, please?
Don't get me wrong, I completely understand your reaction to politics! I would have done the same thing without the above knowledge. However, we previously didn't think it was relevant to make a big shout out about this. But following 'the Olmen case' we thought it necessary to put things into context. Credit where credit is due!
But of course that does not solve 'the Olmen case'. I am not going to elaborate on it here, but I assume that politicians have also been doing their utmost to look for solutions in the field of infrastructure for years. Because don't forget that Hondapark's permit was in order according to the various cabinets and was therefore approved and signed by the minister....
Eric Geboers, Stefan Everts and myself, together with cabinet employees, have, so to speak, driven across the Flemish country in search of possible locations... unfortunately without results, but to lay all the blame on politicians is too simplistic!
If the government in the Netherlands introduces a curfew that the large majority of the population agrees to and then a handful of people manage to overturn it, then unfortunately I don't think it is that strange that we have an approved permit for a sports grounds can be destroyed... my common sense tells me that something is going wrong in both countries, but it is reality again. Point bis 2.
In conclusion, I can tell you that the local, provincial and Flemish government have expressed their commitment to do everything they can, together with Motorsport Vlaanderen, to save our dearly beloved Honda park from the graveyard!
As soon as possible, we, chairman Kurt Vanborm and myself, will meet with the various cabinets to see what can be done to correct the unequal situation... to be continued.
Stay safe, stay positive
Joel Smets
Coordinator Top Sports
Motorsport Flanders
Also to read
Jago Geerts: “I want to come back to Lommel”
Jago Geerts is working hard to bounce back from an injury he sustained in early March during the opening race of the 2024 MXGP World Championship in Argentina. The Belgian, who at…Andrea Bonacorsi on his move to MXGP: “That was the most difficult decision of my life”
Reigning EMX250 Champion, Andrea Bonacorsi, will move to the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team for the remainder of the 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship season, replacing…Entry lists MXGP of Portugal
The Motocross World Championship will continue next weekend with the fifth race on the MXGP calendar. In Agueda, Portugal, in addition to MXGP and MX2, the boys from EMX250 and EMX125 will also compete…Tom Vialle is chasing the US title
There is one race left in the US East Coast Supercross Championship. It will take place in two weeks in Salt Lake City, the city that has become accustomed to…
Your reactions