Chennai, March 9: Bengaluru rider Abhishek Vasudevamurthy, winner of the TVS One-Make Championship 2020 (RR310 category), has been stripped of his title in addition to the penalties imposed by Race Direction for his “unsportsman-like act” in the season-finale race last December.
The penalty is in accordance with the ruling by a three-member Indian Motor Sport Appellate Court (IMSAC) panel comprising senior advocates Silambannan (Chairman) and PR Raman (Member) and J Balamurugan, Chairman, FMSCI Disciplinary Committee (Member), after a hearing, attended among others, by Abhishek via Zoom Video Conferencing, on February 13. In its ruling, IMSAC said “Mr Abhishek Vasudevamurthy, competitor No.12 in the FMSCI TVS One-Make Championship 2020, be divested of his 2020 Championship title in the said Championship.
The other penalties awarded by the Race Direction shall remain in force.” The IMSAC hearing and subsequent ruling was a consequence of an incident in the eighth and final race of the TVS One Make Championship 2020 at the MMRT on December 20.
On the start-finish straight, Abhishek grabbed and depressed the brake lever of fellow-competitor Anup Kumar (Chennai). Abhishek had already sealed the championship going into the final race. After the race, the Race Direction summoned Abhishek for a hearing, following which docked him a fine of Rs 30,000, besides disqualifying him from the race. (UNI)
