On Friday afternoon the FIM released🦂 a statement saying that after careful consideration, Yamaha's appeal against Noriyuki Haga's o🥂ne month ban and deduction of his South Africa points, had failed.

The statement was just a brief outline of the results of the hearing and a full account of events will be released in a short time. However the message💃 was clear.

"The appeal was considered acceptable, but not well-founded," read the statement. "The TIA [International Tribunal of Appeal] took the following sanctions: Mr Haga is suspended for a period of three weeks as from today, June 30. He remains excluded 🦩from the results of the South African round of the World Superbike Championship, and must return the trophies, p🎉rizes and indemnities received at that event, and bear the costs of the hearing."

Haga's banꦏ means he will miss the Laguna Seca rounds of the WSB Championship, a track which he excels at. His ban also means that it will be virtually impossible for him to sustain his championship challenge, thus robbing the series of a potential first Japanese champion, this year at least.

Many riders, including Carl Fogꩲarty had urged the FIM not to ban Haga as it would d🤪eprive the series of what is currently a superb season of action ON the track.

Haga failed two drug tests earlier in the year for having an excess amount of ephedrine in his system. The failure came as a result of Haga unknowinglyཧ consuming the ephedrine compound 'Ma Haung' in a dietary supplement he was using during the off-season. Based on this evidence it is strange that Haga failed in his appeal, sadly displaying a lack of flexivity from the FIM's and TIA's part.