LAKESIDE promotion team Stuart Douglas and Jon Cook have joined calls for an inquiry into alleged “cheating” by Pirates, as the row over Hans Andersen’s arrival at Wimborne Road threatened to spiral out of control last night.

Speedway Internet forums have been rife in recent days with allegations that Poole Castle Cover feigned an injury to heat leader Joe Screen during the Elite League clash at Swindon on May 7 so the in-form Brit would not reach the 12-match cut-off and receive an increased 2009 average.

With Screen remaining on his 2008 figure, and both Bjarne Pedersen and Chris Holder struggling, Pirates chief Matt Ford has been able to squeeze Andersen into his revised line-up.

But Douglas and Cook have now joined calls for an investigation into the meeting at Blunsdon – with Coventry co-promoter Allen Trump having already launched an attack on Poole Castle Cover’s alleged “average manipulation” as well as Screen’s absence.

Trump said: “It’s been an open secret in speedway recently that Poole have allegedly been manipulating averages in order to reduce their overall team average in order to be able to fit a top-class rider in.

“How does it effect the paying public? Quite simply, it cheats them of entertainment...because the easiest way of manipulating an average is via a simulated engine failure or an instruction to break the tapes.

“We saw at Swindon, where the uproar started, a situation where Poole had five engine failures and one tape break.

“I challenge anyone to find a comparative situation where this has happened.

“It was also widely predicted on the Internet, prior to the Swindon v Poole match, that Joe Screen would not be riding as he was the only Poole rider to have increased his average and if he had ridden there he would have reached 12 matches.

“By not riding there, his new 2009 average would not apply, so Poole’s averages would be lower – thereby allowing them to create a gap to introduce a rider of Hans Andersen’s ability.

“I have suggested (to the promoters and co-promoters) that Hans be barred from riding for Poole until an independent inquiry is set up with the power to call up riders and examine them under oath as to what happened in these matches.

“...cheating goes right to the heart and credibility of the sport and speedway can easily be manipulated in the wrong hands.”

In a statement released yesterday, Cook and Douglas added: “We share the concerns of many supporters with what is alleged to have gone on at Swindon when Poole visited and a public wall of silence from the Speedway Control Bureau and British Speedway Promoters Association does nothing but fan the flames.

“For that reason, we have contacted the SCB and requested an independent inquiry in to the match, so the matter can be put to rest, such is the unprecedented furore surrounding it.

“Whether Poole are exonerated of blame, averages on both sides are disallowed or other action taken, an inquiry has to address this matter with urgency.

“Both our own supporters, and those in opposition, deserve clarity as without them we have no sport and speedway cannot retain its integrity until the stigma of allegations of race fixing are addressed.”

Andersen hit out at the allegations of cheating in yesterday’s Echo, while Ford and Poole Castle Cover have also denied the claims.

The Echo was unable to contact Ford for further comment last night.