DOCTOR David Stevens has told isleofman.com why he won't be involved in next year's TT.
A statement was issued last night (Sunday) which said Dr Stevens, the Medical Director for TT 2010, along with TT 2010 Chief Medical Officer Dr Heike Romer, will not resume their roles for the 2011 event.
They will, however, continue their association with the 2011 Manx Grand Prix.
isleofman.com contacted Dr Stevens to ask him the reasons behind the statement, meanwhile the ACU has also issued a statement itself on the issue.
Dr Stevens said: "Without any discussion or negotiation with us, Jim Parker of the TT organisers, ACU Events (IoM) Ltd, decided because of 'severe budgetary pressure' to have no Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for TT 2011 and said 'the post is not necessary'.
"Instead, I was asked, as Medical Director, if I would organise and run all the services required, presumably, as usual, for free.
"Mr Parker has also insisted on only one doctor, instead of the usual two, in race control.
"Five experienced TT race control doctors considered this to be an unworkable and unsafe practice, making our further involvement therefore, impossible.
"Requests, on several occasions, for a discussion on his decisions were ignored."
Dr Stevens added: "For over 20 years I did all the work myself as the Chief Medical Officer for TT and MGP, unpaid.
"I have been succession planning for the post of TT and MGP Chief Medical Officer for five years but had been unsuccessful in finding an Isle of Man based doctor to take over from me as CMO for no pay.
"Dr Heike Romer, a Consultant Anaesthetist from Liverpool has acted as CMO for the Manx Grand Prix for the last three years and shared the work involved with me as Medical Director.
"She then agreed to act as CMO with me as Medical Director for TT 2010, sharing the organising and running of medical services.
"She negotiated a fee with ACU Events Ltd as she had to take another 17 days holiday/unpaid leave, in addition to her time at the MGP, so locums were required.
"She had every reason to believe, as did I, that she would be appointed as CMO for TT 2011 but was told by Jim Parker of ACU Events Ltd in October that because of 'severe budgetary pressure' they would be '….unable to appoint a CMO from the mainland next year'.
"Mr Parker then wrote to me saying 'You will see that it is not proposed to appoint a CMO from over here in 2011 – and it is believed that the post is not necessary'. He also said 'we will be happy to appoint you as the Medical Director for the event'. In other words I would have to do all the work in organising and running medical services and accepting all the responsibility, all unpaid.
"I have spent five years trying to do less and less not more and more, so being able to share the work with Heike was brilliant and the event needs a CMO to accept the medical responsibility for both medical decision making and deciding when riders are fit to resume riding.
"Heike is an excellent, efficient and very professional CMO and her loss to the event is appalling especially when you look at the money being thrown at electric bikes!"
Dr Stevens is a well known TT figure - in 2003 he received an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for services to motor sport medicine in the Isle of Man.
A statement issued by Jim Parker, chairman of ACU Events, said: "Following a statement issued by Dr David Stevens, ACU Events Ltd wishes to clarify the role and position of Chief Medical Officer for the Isle of Man TT Races.
"There will be a Chief Medical Officer appointed to the role for the 2011 Isle of Man TT Races in due course.
"Dr David Stevens MBE was offered this position but declined. ACU Events Ltd will therefore be looking for an appropriately qualified person to fulfil the role.
"As with all other areas of the Isle of Man TT Races, we constantly review the operating procedures. The safety of riders, officials and spectators is paramount and with regard to safety and medical procedures, this review is not driven by financial factors but to achieve best practice.
"ACU Events Ltd are in ongoing discussions with Noble's Hospital to ensure that they support the revised structure and services.
"We would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr Stevens and Motorsport Medical Services for their work with the Isle of Man TT Races."
